


The Jarvis House

by Cain_D



Series: Crystal Lake Adventures [3]
Category: Friday the 13th Series (Movies), Friday the 13th: The Game (Video Game)
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Breeding, Crossdressing, Established Relationship, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff, Knotting, M/M, Possessive Behavior, Praise Kink, Prostate Massage, Sex Toys, Sexual Roleplay, Size Difference, Some Humor, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2021-01-18 19:40:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 115,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21282185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cain_D/pseuds/Cain_D
Summary: Following the events at Higgins Haven, Chad's journey takes him to the Jarvis House. Where Chad goes, trouble follows.
Relationships: Jason Voorhees/Chad Kensington
Series: Crystal Lake Adventures [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1533191
Comments: 4
Kudos: 38





	1. Awakening

Bright lights surrounded Jason as he awakened to the sound of something being wheeled on the floor. The pressure in his skull had ceased, and a white sheet was draped over him. His arms and legs were bound. He took quiet lungfuls of air, remaining completely still on the soft surface as he listened to the voices nearby.

“Here. Sign this,” a man said.

“Hmm? Yeah,” another man mumbled. He smacked his lips and placed a piece of food onto Jason’s chest. It smelled like a chicken sandwich. A hard object was also set there, and slight force was applied as the man wrote on it.

“This your last one to process?”

“Nah. Got one more over there. She’s missing eyeballs and a jaw, but she’s a real cute girl.”

“Was,” the first man corrected.

“She still is. All you gotta do is put some makeup on her and she’ll be as good as n—”

“Nice talk. Real nice talk. You keep the bottom copy.”

A sheet of paper was ripped.

“Take care, Axel.” A woman snorted disgustedly as she left the room, following a second set of footsteps. "Damn, I told you he's crazy."

The items were lifted off Jason’s chest and more footsteps retreated. Axel’s voice was faintly heard down the hallway. “I’m all yours, Robbie.”

“I wouldn’t take you even if you were free.”

“Hey. What’s wrong?”

“My head is pounding. For you, my head is always pounding.”

“Ohhh, I can fix that. Meet me in the cold room. Got some time before I have to process the rest.”

Jason wriggled under the cloth, trying to free his arms from the restraints. He had to get out of this place. What time was it? How long had he been asleep? Chad was waiting for him. Waiting to be held and assured that everything was all right. Jason had awakened like he’d promised.

“Axel, I’m not going to fake more orgasms for you."

“You got the curse?”

“If I have the curse, you’re it.”

Jason tilted his head to the side. Chad never faked having an orgasm. It was impossible to fake with the way his dick spurted and his ass squeezed. Maybe it was different for girls because they didn't have dicks. And what curse? The curse of not being able to have an explosion? That would be very unfortunate.

Footsteps began to approach the room. Jason returned to his original position and froze before they arrived. The bright lights were turned off and a television was turned on, playing soft music. The footsteps came closer and stopped beside him. Someone’s hands tugged at the restraints around his arms.

“No hard feelings, big guy,” Axel said. “Just a security measure. Between you and me, I don’t know if the cops believe the story that’s going around.”

As the restraints were untied, Jason resisted the temptation to lash out. This situation had to be addressed carefully. Many people were inside the building. If he got hurt again, it would take even longer to see Chad.

The restraints dropped to the floor. From down the hallway, heeled shoes clicked towards the room. Rustling sounds and leather creaking were heard behind Jason’s head as Axel scrambled into action. The door to the room opened.

“Axel?” Robbie asked softly. The door closed and she repeated his name with a whisper. She approached the television and stopped in front of it. “Oh Axel...” She sighed. There were more rustling sounds. “Axel?” A few seconds later, she screamed and slapped something with her hands. “God, Axel!”

“I’m so glad you came, doll.”

“Axel, you are the super bowl of self abuse! I came here to watch the news, not to fool around.”

What did that first part mean? The other voice sounded like a man, and bowls couldn’t talk or hurt themselves. Jason's arm twitched under the cloth as one of them sat down. The soft sound was followed by a whistle and another person sitting near him. They were so close. He could sit up and snap their necks before they even realized what was happening. Just like he'd done with Pussy and his friend at Camp Crystal Lake.

A male voice emerged from the television. “And so begins the next part of the bloody Crystal Lake adventures everyone hoped were over. Nine additional bodies were discovered, bringing the total deaths to twenty-six in the past week. Officer J—”

The television channel was changed to the one with music, and Robbie spoke again. “I really came here to watch the news.” She stood up and walked to the television to switch the channel back, then returned and sat down. A different man’s voice came out.

“But to answer your question, the suspect in the Wessex County murders is still at large. Residents are encouraged to stay vigilant until he is apprehended.”

“Oh no...” Robbie said.

Axel patted Jason’s chest a few times. “It can’t be you they’re talking about on TV, pal.”

“You really think that green-haired guy is responsible? I can’t believe you, Axel.”

“Then shut. My. Mouth.”

They started to make loud lip smacking sounds that infuriated Jason. It sounded like they were eating each other’s faces. Their mouths had to be shut, but not in the way they expected. Leather creaked as they lay beside him on whatever they’d been sitting on. He moved his arm, letting his fingers slap the back of Robbie’s thigh. She shrieked and the noises stopped as she and Axel scrambled to get away.

“Jesus Christmas!” Axel shouted. “Holy Mother! God damn holy Jesus flying Christmas Christ!”

“You better get that bastard into the ice box right now! I must’ve been nuts to come here! I mean I really...” Something was zipped up. “Back to work, Axel.” Robbie opened the doors and Axel’s footsteps approached her.

“Hey, where are you going?”

“I’ll tell you where I’m going! I’m going crazy!”

Robbie stomped out of the room and the doors closed. The television channel was switched back to the previous one.

“Sorry, ladies. You’ll be waiting for a bit. Gotta take care of my buddy over there first.”

While Axel lowered the volume on the television, Jason pulled the sheet off his body and swung his legs over the edge. From a tray nearby, he grabbed a short weapon with sharp teeth. He’d used these for sawing wood to build his shack. Placing his other hand across Axel’s forehead, Jason began to saw the throat. Axel grabbed his forearms, unable to make any sounds other than gurgling. Jason tossed the weapon away and twisted Axel’s head around until it was facing him, nearly separated from the neck. He released the corpse and it thumped to the floor, landing on its stomach.

Mother didn’t praise him for the kill. She was strangely quiet. Maybe she’d been sleeping too and didn’t know he was awake yet. It was nice not to hear her voice, and the silence made Jason wish it could stay this way forever.

_“Mommy’s still with you, Jason.”_

Of course she was. Her permanent silence would be too much to ask for.

He raised a hand and examined his fingernails. They were black and appeared to be slightly longer than previously. His skin was grey and more wrinkly. Would Chad recognize him? Yes, he definitely would. There was no reason to be worried. He’d recognized Jason after his hair had fallen out, and Jason was the biggest boy around. Chad couldn’t mistake him for someone else.

Jason moved his hand to the left side of his mask, feeling the slice where the axe used to be. It was sticky with blood, but the wound had healed. Chris had done this to him. That had to be the reason why his vision was still red. She’d taken him away from Chad, even though it was only temporary, and she’d also escaped him for a second time.

His eyes narrowed as he stared at the asses on the television screen. So that’s what Axel had been enthralled with. Three sluts wearing black one-piece swimsuits. Jason couldn’t understand the appeal. Chad’s ass was perfectly shaped and firm, but not too firm. It had the right amount of jiggle when it got smacked, and when Chad walked or bent over, his ass was impossible not to look at. These ones mostly stayed in place, despite the sluts bouncing around.

Looking away from the screen, he stalked to the doors and paused by them. Instead of using the morphing method, he could kill his way out and make these people pay for taking him from Higgins Haven. If they’d left him there, he would’ve woken up beside Chad and seen his pretty face first. Was Chad still there? Wherever he was, Jason would find him. During his search, anyone who crossed paths with him would die. They deserved to die. Jason wasn’t only a savior. He was a punisher of bad boys and girls, and this town was full of them.

_“That’s right. They don’t care and they never will. They were going to throw you away and forget about you.”_

Mother’s words sounded familiar. She’d said them before and he’d told her that Chad would never forget. Wouldn’t it be nice to live at home and forget about everyone else? No, that was a dream for the future. He had work to do. Crystal Lake would learn of the danger lurking in the shadows, and this danger had a name.

Jason looked over his shoulder, scanning the room for his axe, but it wasn’t in sight. Someone must’ve taken it when they’d removed it from his skull. And his pockets seemed lighter. He turned his head back to the doors and shoved his hands into his pockets, searching for the granola bars and speedo. They were gone. Chad could make him a snack later, but the speedo couldn’t be replaced. It was special. A token of his meeting with Chad, and also a reminder that Chad was always with him.

The gold ring. Jason checked his left hand and some of the tension in his body began to leave. The ring was still on his finger. If someone had removed it, blood would’ve painted the walls of this whole building until he’d found the precious gift.

Maybe Chad had taken the speedo to prevent others from finding it while he’d been asleep. If that was the case, then Jason’s work here was done. He closed his eyes, preparing to morph. He hadn’t mapped this area, but that didn’t matter. He only needed to get back to Higgins Haven to see if Chad was waiting for him.

_“My dear boy is forgetting someone. Kill the slut. Kill her for Mommy.”_

He pulled the doors open and turned left, silencing his footsteps as he strode down the hallway. Mother was right. The world would be a better place with one less slut. He flicked the light switches off on the way there and stopped at a door with a window. Robbie was crouching between two storage shelves and picking up broken glass. Jason opened the door and closed it softly behind him. He turned this light off too.

“Get out of here, Axel. I’m busy. I’ve had more than enough of you for today.”

Jason grabbed a glass bottle from the shelf as he approached Robbie.

She stood up and turned around. “Are you deaf? Leave me alo—”

He grabbed her by the throat and lifted her high up against the wall, squeezing hard enough to silence her shrill screams. She gripped his wrist and tried to pull his hand off her neck. Her terrified brown eyes watched the bottle rise and fall, striking her in the middle of her face. The glass shattered from the impact, but the blow didn’t kill her. He stabbed her in the face repeatedly, reducing it to bloody mush while he continued to choke her. Blood splattered his mask and gushed down her chin, tainting his hand. This doll wouldn't be attracting anyone.

By the time she was dead, a gaping hole was all that remained. Releasing her neck and the bottle, Jason stepped back to avoid the falling corpse. It slid down the wall and landed on its ass, slumped against the shelf. Crimson dripped onto its chest, staining the white dress. He squatted and wiped his bloody hand on the lower half, then stood up.

_“Good boy. That’s my Jason.”_

The words of praise didn’t make his chest swell with pride like they normally would. He stared at the spreading pool of blood on the dark floor tiles. What would it take to reach that bright future? A life where he could stay with Chad forever and have fun every day. Perhaps his fate was to get trapped in this endless cycle with no way out.

Did he even enjoy killing? Yes, sometimes punishment was warranted and brought him satisfaction. The people at Packanack had been counselors, and counselors were bad for not doing their jobs properly. The two cops had threatened the safety of Mother and Chad. Pussy and his friend had trespassed and interrupted his fun with Chad in the lake. Ali and Loco had been bad men for hurting Chad in a way that was very difficult to heal. Vera had been a bad girl for snooping in the cabin and saying those mean things. But the rest? Sluts and nobodies of real importance. Their judgment should be his to decide, not Mother’s.

These worries were for another day. Now he had to find his love. Chad was the only person keeping the rage under control. Without him, there would be nothing but a monster on a path of destruction. Jason closed his eyes, searching his mind for the Higgins Haven map. The back of the barn would likely be a safe spot to emerge, and it would allow him to scan both sides of the property for Chad.

He morphed there and immediately checked his surroundings for glowing bodies. The sun was high in the sky. It was either morning or afternoon. There were no red glows on the property, but voices were drifting through the barn windows.

“Looks like we’ve got signs of sexual assault here, Sheriff. You sure it was a good idea to let him go to the Jarvis residence? I don’t think he was telling us the whole story.”

“And it sounds like I’ll be payin’ that brat a visit,” another man muttered. “He only left ten minutes ago. You give me the word if you want me on his tail.”

“No need for that, Dorf. He’s a good kid who got caught up in a bad mess. Leave him be while we try to sort this out.” This man’s voice reminded Jason of Chad. It had a smooth quality with a touch of bossiness.

The conversation continued, but Jason tuned the voices out. The Jarvis residence. It was north of Camp Crystal Lake. Mother’s grave was located near it. He hadn’t been to the house itself, but he’d heard it mentioned around town during the rare occasions when he’d ventured there for food and other supplies. He could morph to the grave and look along the road for Chad.

The road was empty when Jason emerged at the cemetery. A broken wooden fence lined the front of it, and nine other graves were located at the back. The weeds were overgrown, and no flowers were laid at any of the graves. These people had been forgotten and left to rot. A bigger cemetery was in town, so this was a weird place to bury them. Mother shouldn’t have been buried on the side of a road. It was an insult to a woman who’d tried her best in life. One day, the rest of her could be brought home where she belonged.

Jason stood at Mother’s grey tombstone and read the words.

_Pamela Voorhees_  
_ 1930 – 1979_  
_ At Rest_

The other graves belonged to Marcie, Brenda, Annie, Claudette, Bill, Jack, Ned, Steve, and Barry. Because Mother had been killed in 1979, that meant she’d killed these people in that year too. Five years ago, according to the engraving on the ring. Jason had watched her kill them, and he’d also watched Alice kill her. When he’d woken up from the lake afterward, he’d been too small to bring Mother’s body home. Someone else had buried her. But who? She’d been friendless. People had teased her constantly for giving birth to an ugly son.

_“You’re the most beautiful boy in the world.”_

No he wasn’t. That title belonged to Chad. He looked like an angel and he had a kind heart too. He was a good boy. Most of the time. Occasionally, he needed to be taught lessons.

Jason smiled for the first time since he’d awakened. More than anything, Chad needed to be treated with care after the cruelty he’d gone through. If he didn’t want to have any fun right away, that was fine. Jason would be happy to simply cuddle with him in the comfort of home.

The sound of an engine in the distance made his smile disappear. He jogged past the graves, entering the dense forest. A cream-colored vehicle with brown trim came into sight from his left. There were six... no, seven occupants. One was squished between two girls in the middle seats. Chad. The vehicle stopped in front of the cemetery while a boy on the passenger side checked a map. He looked in Jason’s direction, then back at the map.

“Where are we now?” a girl asked.

“Lost,” the driver said. He smiled and took his glasses off to pinch the bridge of his nose.

“We are lost,” the boy with the map confirmed. After a brief pause, he continued speaking and gestured with his other hand. “All right, I got it. We go straight ahead for two miles, and then we hang a right.”

Jason’s hands clenched into fists, jealousy hitting him as he watched the vehicle drive by. Chad should be with him instead. What was he doing with those people? Why wasn’t he waiting at home?

He took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. Chad couldn’t have gotten home last night. It would’ve been too scary for him to walk home in the dark by himself, and he was also a smart boy. He wouldn’t have told the cops about the house. These people must’ve found him and were taking him somewhere.

Jason closed his eyes. The maps were a jumbled mess. Everything was so foggy. The trembling of his body wouldn’t cease, despite his attempts at stopping it, and the red was everywhere. He’d hardly recognized Chad’s face.

_“You know what needs to be done, Jason.”_

Mother was right again. More blood would be spilled. There was no end, and there never would be in this life. It would only end with his death.

Jason opened his eyes and jogged along the border of the forest, his footsteps pounding on the twigs and leaves as he followed the trail of his love. If he was destined to take his last breath tonight, then he could at least find peace in holding Chad in his arms one last time.


	2. Trouble

The journey to the Jarvis House didn’t go the way Chad had hoped. The whole thing was supposed to be a simple affair: say hello to Tommy, see the masks he'd spoken about on the radio at Packanack, and stay in a secluded cabin until Jason awakened and found him. He hadn’t rented a room, nor did he currently have the funds on him to do so. His forty dollars were inside the pocket of a dismembered set of legs that were now in a body bag. He’d thought of the plan on the spot and had intended to ditch Deputy Blake halfway there to avoid making a scene in front of the Jarvis family. However, before the car moved an inch from Higgins Haven, trouble arose.

“Hold up there, Blondie. I got a couple words for you,” Dorf’s muffled voice called out from the barn fence.

Chad rolled the window down all the way and leaned back in the seat, closing his eyes for a brief moment. His head was beginning to throb and the lecture hadn’t even started. It was coming. Dorf swaggered to the passenger side, gripping his belt in that dorky fashion. How could anyone take this man seriously?

Dorf took his sunglasses off and slid them inside the inner pocket of his jacket. He leaned his forearms against the bottom of the window frame as he peered into the car. “Now you listen to me real close. I don’t believe your story for a second. For all I know, you coulda been workin’ with your friend to feed us that bullshit.”

Chad sighed exasperatedly, drawing a glare from Dorf. “I told you I stayed in the cabin all night after the barn incident. When I woke up, Shelly was gone. I didn’t even know he was alive until this morning.”

“You two ain't the only survivors. Chris is at the morgue now, cryin’ her eyes out last I heard. She got six bodies to identify once they get loaded up and brought there. You know what she said?”

Chad swallowed hard. “What did she say?”

“She thinks that masked man is Jason Voorhees. The same man that attacked her two years ago. Yeah, she told us about that too. And there’s somethin’ else she said.” When Chad didn’t respond, his mouth too dry to speak, Dorf continued. “That man was chasin’ her and her friends around and tryin’ to kill them. In the end, she defended herself with the bastard’s own weapon.”

Chad looked away, staring at the hands on his lap. “She’s probably traumatized. It can do weird stuff to people.”

“Uh-huh. You’re hidin’ somethin’. I’m gonna find out what that is, startin’ with your bag. Give it to me.”

Chad smirked as he pulled the bag off his shoulder and passed it through the window. The discovery of a broken watch and leather collar were hardly a cause for concern. He immediately covered his left hand with his right. Beside him, Deputy Blake watched every movement, and Chad was almost certain he’d noticed the gold band during that period when his hand had been uncovered.

Dorf pulled the watch out of the bag and examined the black clock face, which had Rolex written in white capital letters. “Now what do we have here... you stole this, boy?”

The dramatic eye roll couldn’t be suppressed this time. “You were in the mansion, so you know the Kensingtons are wealthy.” Chad gestured to the Higgins house with his head. “Do you really think they’d have a thousand-dollar watch? The house doesn’t exactly scream money.”

Dorf put the watch back into the bag. His brown eyes narrowed. “Speakin’ of the mansion, a couple hundred thousand bucks were stolen. Some of your clothes, pots and pans... just what a brat needs to finally leave the nest. I don’t suppose you know anythin’ about that?”

Chad shrugged. “How would I know? I’ve been here since Monday. I only went out a few times to look for places to stay.”

“Right. The Jarvis folks. Now suppose I call them... they’re gonna confirm the room rental?”

“Yeah. Of course.”

Blood drained from his face as he stared at his hands again. Was the phone even working here? He hadn’t noticed if Jason had destroyed the box last night, but in the event that it wasn’t functional, Dorf could use his police radio to get in touch with someone who could call the Jarvis family. And that would raise a complete shitstorm.

“You look nervous, boy. Let’s see what else you got in this bag.” Dorf removed the leather collar and held it up for everyone to see, making a show of examining it with the light from the sun.

Johnson, Roy, and Sheriff Brown had their heads turned in this direction, but the moment was short-lived and everyone got back to work. The two paramedics gripped each end of the bag containing Loco’s remains and brought it to their vehicle. They’d already loaded the other bag. Sheriff Brown resumed watching them, his hands still on his hips and his brow furrowed.

Dorf dropped the collar into the bag, having failed to get the reaction he'd wanted from them. “So you're one of those," he said with a sneer. "Got another question that needs answerin’. Why do you only got one bag with you? Your momma said you packed three of them.”

That was right. Before leaving for Higgins Haven, he’d packed one bag for the toys, one for grooming supplies, and one for clothes. Apparently his mom had been snooping in his closet after his departure, and she must’ve noticed the missing bags from the original total of thirteen.

“I ditched two of them while I was hitchhiking. Too heavy for me to carry in the heat.”

Dorf snorted. “Sure you did. Why's this one almost empty? Don’t be tellin’ me you’ve been wearin' the same clothes these past few days.”

“So what if I was? Doesn’t mean I didn’t take showers or wash the clothes in the lake. As for the bag, I only packed a few toiletries. They’re in the cabin if you want to see them.”

The arrival of an ambulance, likely holding the other seven bodies, provided a respite from the interrogation. It parked in front of the barn with the rear facing the break in the fence. Two paramedics, an older male and a dark-skinned female, emerged from the ambulance and went to the back to remove a stretcher. The man walked backward to Jason as they carried it.

“All dead. Some emergency,” he said to the woman.

Their arrival had drawn the attention of Dorf. He handed the bag through the window. With a final warning glare, he swaggered to the barn fence and leaned his arms on it to watch the action. Chad set the bag on his lap and sighed in relief.

“One moment,” Deputy Blake said. “I want to make sure Lainie and Vincent don’t need help before we leave.”

There were enough officers and deputies to fill a whole department, but Chad didn’t argue. Staying here for a bit longer would provide some assurance for himself. If Jason awakened during this time, Chad wanted to be there, though he had faith that Jason would try to do it in a subtle way after sensing the police presence.

Three additional men approached Jason. Two were wearing protective yellow coats and the other was wearing translucent white with a hood. Sweat dripped down their red faces. Sickening crunches were heard as one of the men tugged on the axe, and the sound made Chad wince. Fresh blood trickled out of the wound as the axe was pulled free.

“He’s been dead for less than ten hours.”

The man held the axe upside down and lowered it into the evidence bag that his partner was keeping open. They walked towards the line of cruisers while the man in white draped a sheet over Jason. He wouldn’t be happy to discover that his axe was gone, but nothing could be done to get it back except for breaking into the police station. Besides, he had the pig splitter to use if the murderous urges struck him again.

Lainie and Vincent lowered the stretcher to the ground beside Jason. She gripped Jason’s upper arms, unable to wrap her fingers even halfway around them, and Vincent gripped his ankles. As he lifted Jason’s legs off the ground, Lainie had no success at the other end. They settled on moving back to his side and dragging him onto the stretcher by gripping an arm and leg each. If Jason really was sleeping instead of being dead, it seemed odd that he wouldn’t have awakened from being treated like a piece of meat. Then again, Jason was supernatural, so there were things that fell beyond normal reasoning.

“He’s a heavy bastard.” Vincent stepped to the far end of the stretcher and lifted it up while Lainie grabbed the other. They grunted and huffed as the stretcher’s legs were unfolded. He moved to the front end beside Lainie and removed two belts from his pocket. He placed one of them onto Jason’s chest, then secured his ankles tightly. “This the guy that’s been leaving the wet stuff?” he asked the man in white.

“Depends on who you ask.” The man’s response drew a raised eyebrow from Vincent. “This time he got six kids and three bikers. This time they got him.”

Lainie looked at Jason warily.

“Wait,” Vincent said.

“Hmm?” she asked, turning her head to Vincent.

“Belt him.”

Lainie fumbled with the belt and was interrupted by an arm flopping out from under the cloth. She jerked back and stared at it with wide eyes.

“What’s the matter with you? He’s dead.” Vincent leaned over Jason and wrapped the belt around his chest, pinning his arms to his sides on the stretcher.

He and Lainie wheeled the stretcher to the ambulance, and she let him take over with sliding it inside. During the time when they’d been getting Jason prepared for transportation, Roy and Johnson had gone somewhere else. Their vehicle was missing, likely headed to the morgue to drop off the remains of Ali and Loco.

“Looks like they’re set,” Deputy Blake said. “Let’s go.”

He turned the key in the ignition and reversed until he reached the main road, finding little room to maneuver with the parked vehicles. Access to the western exit was still impeded by the sunken bridge and van, but he swerved around them and crossed the boundary. The journey to the Jarvis House had begun. Hopefully everything would work out, but this journey could lead to another bloodbath. As irritating as Dorf was, he did have a point. Chad would be the first to admit that trouble did have a knack for finding him.

Police chatter emerged from the car radio. Chad ignored it in favor of trying to come up with a plan that would allow him to ditch the deputy. The Jarvis family might not be welcoming if they knew he’d been involved at a crime scene recently, and he wouldn’t blame them for it.

“Your dad didn’t tell me you were married.”

The comment was so sudden that Chad was at a loss for words initially. As he watched the dense forest move past him through the passenger window, he hoped a spark of genius would hit him. Or anything really, as long as it was somewhat reasonable. Perhaps it wouldn’t take much. The Crystal Lake police force wasn’t the most intelligent group if they believed that wacky story about the leprechaun man.

“I just wear the ring to ward off advances.” Chad chuckled. “A guy like you probably has better things to do than drive me around, huh? You seem very dedicated to your work. I’m sure they could use your help back there.”

“Well, it’s... it’s no bother, sir.”

Chad turned his head to the road, seeing the puffed-out chest and pink cheeks through his peripheral vision. A baby-faced deputy who was eager to prove himself to his superiors. Perfect. “I was hiding under that bed all night. Wouldn’t mind stretching my legs more.” He patted Deputy Blake’s thigh, turning the pinkness to crimson, then brought his hand back to his lap. “And a guy like me has to maintain my figure, you know?”

“I... suppose I could drop you off here. We’re about four miles away. Stick to the main road and you’ll find it.”

It would take around an hour to walk there at a brisk pace. In this blazing heat with no water, that sounded like an awful time. If luck was with him, he could hitch a ride from someone heading in the same direction. That area was a popular place for vacation rentals. Better yet, Jason could awaken, find him, and morph home without involving the Jarvis family at all, assuming he’d heard the mention of the destination. But there was the issue that the police might contact him for more questions, and if he wasn’t at the Jarvis House, they would get suspicious. Oh well, that part could be sorted out later.

“That works for me, Deputy. Thanks.”

Blake pulled over on the side of the road. “Take care of yourself, sir.” With a hint of laughter in his voice, he added, “And stay out of trouble.”

Chad looped the bag over his shoulder and exited the vehicle, trying his best to hide the smirk from how easy that was. But then his face drooped from weariness as he took slow steps down the road. The sun was scorching hot, and in his own moment of stupidity, he’d come up with this plan without having the sense to wear sunscreen beforehand. Jason’s attraction to him was more than skin-deep, but it wouldn’t be healthy to turn into a lobster.

There appeared to be nothing but trees for miles. It reminded him of when he’d left the mansion for his journey to Higgins Haven, only this time, he wasn’t lugging three heavy bags with him. He didn’t know how much time had passed before he finally heard the faint sound of an engine behind him, along with multiple voices singing a Country Boy rhyme. It could’ve been five minutes, though it felt like hours. He stuck his thumb out and trudged onward as the vehicle got closer.

The singing ceased as a cream-colored Chevrolet Caprice Estate stopped beside him, holding four guys and two girls. The scene was all too familiar. A group of teens and young adults heading to their deaths. He didn’t need to ask to know where they were going.

A guy with black hair poked his head out of the passenger window. “Where you heading, man?”

“The Jarvis House. I thought I’d pay Tommy a visit.”

“You’re in luck. We rented the house across from it. Hop in.”

A girl with braided black hair beckoned Chad to the middle seats. He opened the back door and squeezed past her, sitting between her and another girl with frizzy brown hair. She pulled it shut, and the two of them smiled at him. The one to his left seemed to be the shy sort, while the one to his right gave him a tomboy impression. Their gazes flicked to his various injuries, and he could almost see the questions running through their minds.

“I’m Samantha,” the black-haired girl said as the car resumed moving. She gestured to the other girl, then began to point the others out after reciting each of their names. “That’s Sara, the driver’s my boyfriend Paul, and the guy beside him is Doug. The guys in the back are Jimmy and Ted.”

“Nice to meet you guys. I’m Chad.” He forced a smile, already feeling his stomach begin to churn. Pamela was indiscriminate when it came to young folks aside from himself, and if she told Jason to kill them, he would follow her orders without question. Any attempts at stopping the massacre would simply be delaying the inevitable, so the key was prevention. “How long will you guys be staying there?”

“We were gonna rent the house on Tuesday and keep it until the following Monday, but we left today instead,” Doug said. “Hey Paul, you sure we’re going the right way?”

The voices faded as Chad stared into space, thinking of the events that had happened over the past week. Today was Thursday, July 19th. The massacre at Packanack had occurred on Friday, July 13th. He’d gotten home on Saturday, spent the weekend meandering through the mansion, and departed for Higgins Haven on Monday. After a day of skinny dipping, getting pranked by Shelly, shopping at the convenience store, and counting the hours until his reunion with Jason, night had arrived. He’d been treated to humorous toy examination and mind-blowing sex, followed by action at Packanack and the discovery of his new home at the Voorhees House.

The potential massacre on Monday, July 16th had been delayed through careful persuasion. The following morning, he’d broken into the mansion with Jason, looted the joint, and said a mental goodbye to that prison forever. Aside from the brief break to go shopping at Sabrina’s Sensual Delights, it had taken all day to get the house cleaned, and even then, it was far from pristine. Afterward, he’d had embarrassing but fun time in the lake, along with a massage session and more sex that left him feeling sore yet sated.

Wednesday the 18th had begun with a hand job in the bathtub after waking up to a cock in his face. Breakfast had consisted of the best peanut butter and jelly sandwich he’d ever eaten, and he’d read the most adorable shopping list. Several hours later, he’d returned with everything Jason had asked for, plus some extras. The hours had passed in a blur of fun and tender moments with his love. He'd seen a side of Jason that he’d never seen before, and he'd received a confession that would stay with him forever. As for the rest of the night, it would be better off forgotten.

Remembering these events made him realize just how crazy the past week had been. He’d fallen in love with a mass murderer who’d killed twenty-six people, discovered he was a complete masochist, moved into a new house, and even got married. Everything had started with a thirst for adventure to prove he wasn’t a wimp in the face of danger. Here he was now, in the midst of another. With Jason around, life would never be boring.

Chad snapped himself back to reality and looked out the front window. The scenery hadn’t changed whatsoever, and he was guessing Paul had taken a wrong turn somewhere. Behind him, Ted and Jimmy were having a talk that was more suited to a locker room.

“You broke up with Blowjob Betty?” Ted asked incredulously.

“Sort of,” Jimmy said. “And would you ease off on her? She’s all right.”

Ted chuckled. “Yeah, she definitely is. You should’ve treated her right. That girl wanted to be treated right.”

“I did! I did treat her right. That’s what’s driving me so crazy.”

Jimmy must’ve done something really wrong. Betty was an easy girl to please from what Chad remembered. He’d tried her once, just for another notch on his belt. That had been a huge mistake. He’d been forced to come up with explanations for his mom about why Betty wouldn’t stop calling the house. Eventually, Betty had gotten the hint that it was a one-time thing.

“At first she answered my calls, but there was always something she had to do,” Jimmy continued. “Then she wouldn’t answer my calls. Can you figure that out? What the fuck did I do wrong?”

Ted crumpled some paper. “Let me ask the ol’ computer.”

“No. I’m serious. I did everything right.”

“The computer always tells the truth. Now let’s see what it has to say.” Ted tapped his fingers on a hard surface. There was a long pause.

"What?" Jimmy asked.

"It's... it’s telling me you’re a dead fuck.”

“What? A dead fuck?”

“You have a limp pecker, a floppy willie, or a millimeter peter. You know. You’re about as entertaining in bed as a dead fish.” The girls covered their mouths at Ted's bold diagnosis.

“You haven’t even seen it!" Jimmy shouted. "But don’t hold back on me, Doc, tell me how it is!”

“It’s not me who’s telling you. It’s the computer.”

“Well there is no computer!”

“Well there’s no _Betty_ either."

“Then I’m a dead fuck,” Jimmy finally admitted. It seemed to be the most likely explanation for his troubles with girls. Poor guy. It was one thing to have a small penis, but it was quite another to have no clue how to use it properly.

“Like I said, the computer always tells the truth.”

Jimmy sighed. “God, I’m horny.”

Chad rolled his eyes, earning him smiles from both girls, who’d also been forced to listen to the loud exchange. The drive continued in silence for a minute, then Paul stopped the vehicle at a small cemetery. Chad leaned forward so he could see around Samantha. His attention was immediately drawn to the tombstone at the front. Pamela’s grave. It made sense why Jason had only taken her head with him, as he’d been a mere boy after he’d awakened on the shores of Crystal Lake. But why would someone have buried her on the side of a road when a larger cemetery was in town, and who was that person? According to that paramedic Johnson, bodies ended up being cremated if no one paid for the burial.

“Where are we now?” Samantha asked, leaning her arms on the front seats.

“Lost,” Paul said. He removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. Samantha slumped back and looked out the window beside her.

“We are lost,” Doug confirmed in a flat voice. He examined the map he’d pulled out.

Samantha turned to look at Chad and Sara. “It's pretty creepy, huh?” she murmured, referring to the cemetery.

“Yeah,” Sara said, and Chad nodded, his eyebrows furrowing warily. He’d played this game before and he would play it again.

“All right, I got it.” Doug gestured the directions with his hand, holding the map in the other. “We go straight ahead for two miles, and then we hang a right.”

Paul resumed driving. Within another minute, a chubby hitchhiker became visible, sitting on the grass at the right side of the road. She stood up and walked onto the pavement, raising a colorful sign that said "Canada and Love."

“Let’s pick her up, Paul,” Samantha said.

“Sammy, where we gonna put her?”

“She can sit in the back with Ted and Jimmy. Chad squeezed in just fine.” Being half the size had definitely helped, but Chad refrained from pointing that out to Samantha.

Paul merely lifted his hand off the steering wheel slightly, giving the hitchhiker a dismissive wave.

“Hey honey, you got a sister?” Ted yelled, sticking his upper body out of the rear window. He pumped his arms into the air. “Ruff ruff!”

The hitchhiker flipped the sign, displaying "Fuck You!" written in black marker. She gave Ted the middle finger and pursed her lips. Chad smiled at her spunk. His old self would’ve joined Ted in mocking the girl for her appearance, but that Chad was gone. He’d experienced taunts of his own, and although it sounded cliche in his mind, Jason had taught him that appearance was only part of what made up a person. Sure, that muscular body and those bright blue eyes never ceased to draw him in, but Jason was much more than that. Sexy, adorable, caring, dangerous, extraordinarily powerful, and both eager to please and dominant, all wrapped into one package. A man who should exist in dreams, not reality.

“Did you guys hear that?” Sara asked, her eyes widening. “It sounded like a scream.”

“I heard nothing,” Ted said.

The others murmured their agreement. Chad had been so lost in thought that he hadn’t heard anything either until Sara had spoken up. If there really had been a scream, the likely source was the hitchhiker. Could it have been in response to Jason? He wouldn’t be seeing sunshine and rainbows after getting an axe to the head. A quick murder would allow him to release some of that anger.

“Tell me you hear that,” Sara whispered.

Everyone fell silent as they listened to the crashing sounds through the woods. Crows scattered from the trees, cawing madly and filling the sky with dark clouds of flapping wings. The heavy footsteps could only belong to one person. Chad’s heart simultaneously soared with hope and filled with dread.

Paul flattened the gas pedal. The tires squealed on the pavement as the car raced down the road, easily outpacing Jason’s jog speed. Chad waited for the shift and the two fists slamming on the hood, but they never came. Jason must’ve known it would invite more trouble than he could handle if everyone scattered. Or maybe something else had caused the noise. A bear or moose? The forest was home to a wide variety of wildlife.

He drove over a bridge, following the main road that ran through the area. After passing three cabins, he turned right onto another road. Two large houses appeared in the distance. One was painted blue with white trim, and the other was more rustic looking, constructed with logs. A golden retriever dog was on the porch, pawing at the door. The most impressive sight of all was Chad’s 1984 Cadillac Eldorado, a white convertible parked beside a tall tree between the houses. Ted let out a loud whoop.

“Damn. Nice wheels.” Paul parked in front of the porch stairs of the blue house and glanced over his shoulder. “Wonder who it belongs to?”

“It’s mine. Don’t ask me how it got here because I have no idea.”

“Lucky guy.”

Paul took the keys out of the ignition and put them into his pocket. Sara opened the back door and stepped out, holding it open for Chad as he exited the car. She closed it and stood beside him at the porch while everyone else followed suit. That familiar sense of awkwardness hit him, given that he was an outsider among a group of friends.

A young boy, perhaps twelve years of age, stood in the doorway of the log house. He paused in the process of closing the front door. The dog had gone inside. Chad met the boy’s gaze briefly, already knowing this was Tommy without needing to be told. The Jarvis family was well-known around town. Tracy was a single mom and had one other child, a teen daughter named Trish.

Ted and Jimmy slid out of the rear windows of the car and removed a case of beer and a tackle box. Samantha began to dig through the belongings in the back.

“Hey Doug, throw me a beer,” Paul said. He turned to the house, craning his neck as he looked at the exterior.

Ted handed the case of beer to Doug. “You take it.” He pulled out a green backpack and slung it over his shoulder.

“You know, I’ve been thinking about what I told you...” Jimmy said as he and Ted circled around the front of the car.

“You told me you were horny.”

“No, I don’t mean that. I’ve come to realize that a guy doesn’t need girls all around him in order to have a good time.”

Ted pointed a finger at Jimmy and grinned. “That’s what a dead fuck would say.”

“I really don’t want you to call me that anymore.”

Chad moved aside to give Ted, Jimmy, and Doug space as they brought their belongings to the front door. Paul retrieved the house key from his pocket and unlocked it. A blonde woman, presumably Tracy, watched them from the kitchen window of the Jarvis residence. The four of them went inside, leaving the door wide open. Samantha and Sara, both gripping a bag each, ascended the porch stairs together.

“Are you coming inside, Chad?” Sara asked, glancing over her shoulder.

“Nah. I’m gonna check out my car and see if anything was left in there first.”

He started to approach the convertible. Before he could make it halfway there, the dog zoomed out of the Jarvis House and sat in front of him, halting his progress. Truth be told, he was more of a cat person. Cats didn’t make everything smell like dog, and they could almost take care of themselves, but this mutt seemed friendly enough. He gave it a few pats on its head, and was soon joined by Sara, Samantha, Ted, and Jimmy as they crowded around the dog to pet it.

A blonde teen and Tommy jogged across the yard to greet them. “His name’s Gordon. I’m Trish.”

“Hi Trish." Samantha's greeting was echoed by Ted and Jimmy, who looked over Trish with appreciation. She wasn’t ugly, but her hair color definitely wasn’t natural and her smile was a bit gummy.

Tommy crossed his arms and looked up at Chad. “I’m Tommy. Who are you?”

“Chad.”

Tommy’s blue eyes lit up immediately and he unfolded his arms. “The guy from the radio! Let’s go up to my room. You can see my masks and then we can play video games.”

Chad smiled faintly. “Sounds great.” He pointed at his convertible with his right hand, drawing everyone’s attention to the bandage. Six pairs of eyes flicked to the cuts on his neck and the blotchy skin. “We can do that after I get the keys for my car. Give my thanks to Paul for the ride.”

“Will do,” Samantha said. “We’re having a party tonight. Feel free to come.” She nudged Sara with her elbow. “I’m sure she’ll appreciate it.”

A light blush spread across Sara’s cheeks. She opened her mouth, then closed it and hastily walked past the group into the house.

“Weren’t you gonna hook her up with Doug?” Ted whispered into Samantha’s ear.

Samantha shrugged, not bothering to return the whisper. “I’m not so sure now. I saw the way she was looking at Chad.”

“I have a boyfriend.” Well, a husband actually. If any of them asked about the gold ring, he would tell them the same thing he’d told Deputy Blake. The ring was just being worn to ward off potential advances.

Chad's declaration came without hesitation, unlike when he’d admitted his relationship status to Chris and her friends. He stepped around Gordon and strode to his convertible. As he opened the driver’s door, he heard a whispered “told you so” from Ted, likely directed at Jimmy. Chad ignored the comment, feeling no shame from it. Although he didn’t identify as being gay due to his numerous experiences with girls, he couldn’t care less if they thought of him in that way. His former hesitation had come from a fear of rejection, but he’d realized days ago that he didn’t need their acceptance.

He checked the glove compartment for the car keys and found a thick wad of money instead. To his knowledge, his dad hadn’t left Higgins Haven, so it had probably been his mom who’d brought the car here. She could’ve taken a taxi back to the mansion. The same place he’d looted with not an ounce of guilt, and the same mother he’d said goodbye to with a simple note on the table. What a wonderful son she had.

“Whoa, that’s a lot of money,” Tommy said from his right side, making him flinch. Stealth was obviously one of his strong points.

Before the others could catch a glimpse of the money, Chad snatched the wad and shoved it into his pocket. There had to be a few thousand dollars, and he didn’t trust this group one bit. None of them appeared to come from wealthy families, so this kind of money could bring out the snake in any of them.

Tommy pushed his glasses back on his nose, his eyes returning to their normal size after the initial shock. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.”

“Thanks. My mom likes to go overboard with my allowances.”

Tommy sighed. “I wish my mom did that. She gave me fifty cents for cleaning my bedroom.”

Chad felt a stab of guilt as he leaned forward into the car, sweeping his hand under the driver’s seat in search of the keys. He’d led such a privileged life compared to other people, and he still did. He had everything he could ask for. The best lover and friend in existence, a big home to share with him, and money to provide a luxurious life in the years to come.

“Check the sun visor,” Tommy suggested.

Chad pulled the visor down partway and slid his fingers along it. Sure enough, he came across the keys. “Good idea, Tommy.” The resulting smile was so bright that it rivaled the sun.

Holding the keys in his palm, he examined them. Three were attached to the ring. Two for the car and one he didn’t recognize. The front door and locks at the mansion would’ve been replaced, so the other key had to be for the house. His mom was extending an invitation for him to return and collect the rest of his belongings, but that idea didn’t tempt him in the slightest. With a car and mountains of money at his disposal at his new home, the sky was the limit. He pocketed the keys, silently thanking his mom for offering him the freedom she’d denied him for eighteen years.

He moved around Tommy to get access to the back seats. They were so full of paper grocery bags and weekender bags that he couldn’t see the red leather beneath them. He’d either been tied up at Higgins Haven for much longer than he’d expected, or his mom had packed this stuff for him beforehand, anticipating his desire to move out.

Having no use for a broken watch or leather collar at the moment, he placed that bag onto the floor of the car. Tommy continued to hover beside Chad as he began to search through the other bags. Ted and Jimmy were still chatting with Trish about petty topics like the storm that had occurred last Friday. They were clearly hoping to get in her shorts. Samantha had joined Sara, Doug, and Paul inside the house, and Tracy was no longer standing at the kitchen window.

Six of the bags held shoes, shirts, and pants of every color. Even a few tighty whities, he noticed with a roll of his eyes, and his reaction drew a chuckle from Tommy. He’d gotten used to going without underwear over the past week, and he rather enjoyed the free feeling. At least his mom had the sense not to pack any sweaters for him in this heat.

A smaller bag was dedicated to toiletries, which he was in dire need of currently, along with several unopened first-aid kits. He had everything he needed to get out of these sweaty clothes and transform the troll into the prince. Selecting light pink pants, a white shirt, white socks, and a fresh pair of black shoes, he transferred them into the toiletry bag and zipped it, then looped it over his shoulder with a groan. His body was still stiff from his poor sleeping arrangements last night. Jason’s rock-hard chest wasn’t the most comfortable pillow.

The grocery bags mostly contained snacks and jugs of water. Squeezing between Chad and Tommy, the dog stuck its snout into the car and sniffed. Chad shooed him off playfully. He considered bringing the bags inside the house to spare the groceries from the hot confines of the car, but he shrugged it off and closed the door. If the food spoiled, he could simply buy more later. He had to go shopping anyway to buy gas for the generator at home. After circling around the car to ensure that the passenger door was locked, he walked with Tommy and Gordon to the front door of the Jarvis House.

A feeling of being watched prickled the back of his neck. Looking over his shoulder, he scanned for the source. Dark clouds were visible in the far distance, but aside from that, nothing was out of the ordinary. Ted, Jimmy, and Trish remained near the vehicle, continuing to chat, and the occasional howl of laughter was heard from within the vacation house.

“Are you coming, Chad?” Tommy asked from the entryway.

Smiling resignedly, Chad turned his head back to the house and stepped inside, closing the door behind him. With a little boy who was yearning for a friend, cops on his ass, and no clue about his lover’s whereabouts, what other choice did he have? He was certain of something though. Trouble did follow him everywhere he went, and more was brewing on the horizon. The only thing he could do was embrace it.


	3. Familiar Faces

The mouth-watering scent of scrambled eggs and ham wafted from the kitchen of the Jarvis House. Without dead bodies around him, the prospect of eating food was actually appealing now. Chad's stomach growled as he followed Tommy to the spacious kitchen and sat beside him on a stool at the counter. Easing the bag off his shoulder, he lowered it to the floor.

Tracy was standing across from them at the stove, cooking that heavenly breakfast. Along with a plate of buttered toast, three empty plates and glasses were laid in a row where Chad and Tommy were sitting. The dishes had likely been set for Tracy and her children, and that caused another rush of awkwardness to hit Chad. He didn’t even know these people, yet here he was, plunking himself down in their kitchen and practically begging for food with his incessant stomach growls.

“You must be Chad,” Tracy said, taking a quick look over her shoulder. “I’m Tracy. Tommy hasn’t stopped talking about his new friend he met on the radio.”

“Mom...” Tommy grumbled.

Tracy winked and turned her head back to the stove. “We don’t have any spare rooms, but we have pillows and sleeping bags.” The mention of the bags made Chad remember Tiffany’s brutal death. She hadn’t been the sharpest tool in the shed.

“We can have a sleepover!” Tommy said, his eyes shining with excitement as he looked sideways at Chad.

It was amazing how such a short and simple chat over the radio could cause Tommy to think he’d made a friend. He had to be quite the loner and desperate for companionship, despite the age difference. But to have a sleepover in the house? That wouldn’t be the brightest idea. Not with a possessive lover like Jason.

“I don’t think I’ll be staying for long. I was just in the area, looking for houses to rent and I thought I’d visit. Sorry.”

Tommy lowered his head and stared at the counter. “Oh.”

His gloominess was forgotten as the pan of scrambled eggs came closer, borne by Tracy. She portioned the eggs onto the three plates, giving Chad and Tommy heaping piles. For once, Chad didn’t complain about the amount. Because he’d been focused on helping Jason meet his caloric needs, he’d hardly eaten any food himself over the past week. If he kept this up, his ass would be reduced to nothingness and resemble a pancake. Jason would definitely notice if Chad’s greatest asset was lost, and it was a terrifying thought.

Chad opened his mouth to ask if the plate of food was intended for him, but he was shushed by a stern look from Tracy.

“Make sure you boys eat up.”

Grabbing a piece of toast in one hand and a fork in the other, he dug into the food, not caring that he looked and sounded like a rabid beast. The moans emerging from his mouth would’ve been mortifying if he wasn’t driven by hunger and the need to maintain his ass. It was painful to swallow because of his injury, but he ignored that too. Tommy was far more composed, taking nibbles of toast between small forkfuls of eggs.

Orange juice was poured into their glasses, and after finishing his toast, Chad guzzled the juice in one long gulp. Tracy smiled gently and walked past him to the kitchen window, where she called Trish’s name to announce breakfast. By the time Trish arrived in the kitchen and sat on the last stool, Chad’s plate was emptied. With a satisfied sigh, he licked his lips, ignoring the whining dog beside him.

“That was great, Mrs. Jarvis. Thanks.”

“Call me Tracy. And you’re very welcome.”

She leaned an elbow on the counter as she flipped through a newspaper dated July 19th. Much to Chad’s relief, the Higgins Haven massacre hadn’t been covered yet because of the early morning delivery. It would appear in tomorrow’s issue, though the incident was likely being reported on the news stations. Now that he thought about it, the Jarvis family could already know about his involvement at Packanack, but they weren’t saying anything about it. He didn’t need to feel guilty about holding back the information regarding his most recent adventure, but what he did need was to groom himself.

Trish set her fork onto her empty plate and looked at Chad. “Ted and Jimmy were talking about going swimming at Crystal Point soon. They said you could come if you wanted.”

That wouldn’t be a bright idea either. His stomach was full to capacity, swimming in a bacteria-infested lake could cause infections in his injuries, and the group would be vulnerable in the water. Jason could pick them off one by one. On the other hand, was Jason even awake yet? Those crashing sounds through the woods might not have belonged to a person, and it would be a long and boring wait if Chad confined himself to a cabin all day.

Trish smiled at him. “Come on. It’ll be fun! We’ll join you guys after I buy Tommy a bypass patch cord from town.” In all likelihood, the swimming would be skinny dipping and not really suitable for a twelve-year-old’s eyes, but Tommy had to grow up eventually. Seeing a few asses, penises, vaginas, and pairs of tits wouldn’t kill him.

“I guess I’ll go. We can look at your masks later.”

“Don’t forget that you’re on dishwashing duty this week,” Trish said to Tommy. “After you’re done, we’ll go into town.”

Tommy nodded glumly. He collected the plates and carried them to the sink, taking a small piece of Chad’s heart with him. It was unfortunate, but a friendship with Tommy would be impossible. Jason had lived such a lonely life before Chad had met him, and he deserved all of the attention in the world. The only family he’d had was a mother inside his head, while Tommy had Tracy and Trish. There would be the jealousy aspect as well. Jason was very protective, and a jealous Jason would also be terrifying. Chad had seen that side of him with the Kenny situation.

Chad grabbed his bag off the floor and stood up. “Do you mind if I use your bathroom?”

“Not at all.” Tracy looked up from the newspaper and frowned as she noticed the condition of his neck. “What happened to you?”

Chad drew in a deep breath and exhaled. It was better to tell the truth now. His lie would be exposed if the police decided to check up on him. “The suspect in the Packanack murders struck again. Higgins Haven this time. I was there and I got attacked.”

Tracy covered her mouth, then lowered her hand to the newspaper. “That’s awful. I always tell the kids to close the door in case a psycho wanders in. You must be tired of answering questions, so I won’t start grilling you.”

“Yeah, I am tired of it,” Chad admitted. He had Officer Dorf to thank for it, and if that man ever showed his face again, Chad would be tempted to let Jason shut his mouth for good. Dorf was always talking about trouble, but he created his fair share of it too.

Tracy smiled. “I’ve fixed up quite a few scraped knees in my time. Let me know if you need my expertise.”

“I will. And thanks.”

“The bathroom’s through that doorway, straight down the hall, and to the right.” Tracy resumed reading the newspaper while Tommy dried the dishes. Trish was rifling through the contents of a purse on her lap, ensuring she had everything she needed for the trip into town.

Chad followed Tracy’s instructions, emerging in a large dining room. The house didn’t look like much from the outside, but the inside was nicely furnished. Floral paintings decorated the walls, and fancy rugs lay on the wooden floor. This place was a stark contrast to the poor state of the Voorhees House with its crumbling walls, dangerous floors, and damaged furniture. Over the next few days, he would work on getting the walls repainted and the floors replaced for starters. Help was only a phone call away, and Jason hadn’t seemed too averse to the idea when Chad had mentioned it at the garden.

He entered the bathroom and closed the door. Setting his bag on the counter, he stood at the mirror and examined his reflection. His hair was plastered to his head from the heat. His left cheek wasn’t swollen anymore thanks to the ice pack from Roy, and the bruising hadn’t appeared yet. There was only slight redness. His eyes were a tad bloodshot, but they weren’t as puffy as they’d been when he’d looked in the mirror at Higgins Haven this morning.

His neck was the most startling sight. The cuts near his jugular were clear of blood and superficial, having barely scratched the surface, so they didn’t warrant bandages. The worst part was the darkening red ring, tinged with purple flecks, that extended around his throat where the chain had been wrapped. Sara’s stolen glances must’ve been because of curiosity about his injuries, not romantic interest in him. He didn’t even look half as good as he normally did, but that would be fixed soon.

The first order of business was getting out of these stinky clothes, which smelled of hay and musk. His shoes were also quite ripe, and he was lucky he hadn’t knocked anyone out. He slipped them off and tossed them into a wastebasket in the corner, then removed his pants and shirt, leaving them in a pile on the floor. He planned to toss them away too, despite their cost of four hundred dollars. Better than stinking up the contents of his bag.

The bathroom was equipped with a tub, but proper bathing would come later when he reunited with Jason. A soothing bath or shower, followed by soothing sex. That was exactly what he needed to get on the path of recovery after the brutality he’d endured from those two men. Well, whenever a twelve-inch cock was involved, soothing and sex didn’t really go together. Regardless, he wouldn’t recoil from Jason’s touch, even if he couldn’t walk afterward. Jason could use some loving too after what he’d gone through.

For now, the traditional sink and washcloth method would be used once again. Chad retrieved a cloth from his bag and moistened it with warm water and soap from a pump bottle on the sink. As he began to wash himself with his unbandaged hand, he chuckled at how familiar this seemed. How many times had he done this over the past week? His smile faded as he thought about the murders he’d participated in, albeit indirectly. Did he even deserve to be happy with what he’d done? Perhaps not, but he wouldn’t let this love go. There was no turning back to that meaningless life without Jason.

After rinsing the cloth and wringing the water out, he draped it on the edge of the sink. His old pants held a med spray that he removed and applied to his cheek, neck, chest, and ass. It was the last can, but now that he had the first-aid kits, he didn’t have to worry about hoarding med sprays. He emptied the can and threw it away. It wasn’t a miracle worker and didn’t appear to have any effect on the redness around his throat, but it was energizing like always.

“Chad?” Tracy called from the other side of the door. “Your friends are leaving in five minutes if you want to join them.”

“Thanks for letting me know.”

He didn’t bother correcting her about the fact that they weren’t his friends and never would be. It didn’t take a fortune teller to realize that most, if not all of them would likely be dead in the near future. Why get attached? Shelly was lucky that Jason had gone for Chris first, though Chad wondered if Jason would’ve killed Shelly after that act of bravery against Ali. Jason was smart enough to understand good intentions. He just had a crazy mother who tended to interfere with his judgment.

Chad quickly dried himself with a towel from his bag, stuffed it back in, and started to get dressed so he could meet up with the others. Spending time with Tommy would only encourage him, and Chad wanted to avoid that as much as possible. He felt bad for the kid, but Tommy would be better off making friends with people who weren’t involved with mass murderers.

He cursed as he fought with the buttons on his shirt, having already donned his pants, socks, and shoes. The band-aids on his thumb and index finger had slipped off at some point, exposing the cuts from when he’d picked the shards out of Jason’s hand. No time to re-bandage them. But why was he rushing anyway? If the others left without him, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. He would just be bored to oblivion.

His hair would need much longer than five minutes to transform into its usual style. It had to be shampooed, conditioned, blow dried, and liberally doused with hairspray or shaping cream. Snatching a comb and running it through his hair, he tried to add some definition to the plastered mess. He had no other choice but to accept the swept-back look. With the help of the comb, this style was a slight improvement over what it used to be. Why was he even worrying about his hair? He didn’t know. The only person he had to impress was Jason, and that man wasn’t with him.

With that in mind, Chad dropped the comb into the bag. Appearance be damned—he could look like a troll and it still wouldn’t matter. Right? Smiling nervously at the man in the mirror, he remembered that he had to do something about his disgusting morning breath. He unwrapped a fresh toothbrush, squeezed a big blob of toothpaste from a new tube, and brushed his teeth until they were spotless.

Also remembering his fear of turning into a lobster, he snatched the sunscreen and applied it liberally to the exposed areas. He topped everything off with a few spritzes of Old Spice. If nothing else, he would at least have a white smile, non-crispy skin, and a pleasant scent.

He picked up his old clothing and transferred the car keys, money, and wallet to his pocket. After crumpling the clothes, throwing them into the wastebasket, and grabbing his bag, he opened the bathroom door and followed the hallway to the kitchen. Trish and Tommy had left the house to get the bypass patch cord, whatever that was. Tracy was preparing a mixture of what looked to be chocolate chip cookies. Chad hadn’t done much baking at the mansion, but that would be a tasty treat to try making for Jason. Even if the cookies turned into black cinders or shapeless blobs, Jason would still eat them and love them. It was one of the benefits of being with a guy who’d lived on crap for years.

As he continued through the kitchen towards the front entrance, he raised a hand to Tracy, who returned the gesture and smiled. “Don’t forget to close the front door,” she said.

“In case a psycho wanders in. Right.”

Closing the door wouldn’t stop a psycho from simply opening it and strolling inside, but Chad closed it anyway to appease her. The area between the two houses was void of people as he descended the porch stairs and walked to his convertible. He unlocked the passenger door and placed his bag on the back seats, ensuring that it was locked again afterward. A burgundy Dodge Polara used to be parked along the road near the Jarvis residence, but now it was missing. The Chevrolet Caprice Estate was still in front of the vacation house.

He began to follow the road south, walking slowly to conserve energy in the heat. Crystal Point was located in that direction. He didn’t know where precisely because his old counselor friends had driven him on the single occasion he’d been there. This group could’ve gone skinny dipping in the many bodies of water around here, but for some reason, they’d decided to travel a mile or two on foot. There was nothing special about that place. It only had a rope swing and a few docks from what he recalled.

Six figures were visible in the distance, nearing the intersection of two other roads. He transitioned to a light jog in an effort to catch up with them, keeping an eye out for Jason. His hefty stomach contents flipped around, and he took several short breaks to settle them on the way. Jason couldn’t be here yet, or he would’ve heard everyone’s footsteps. Unless there was another reason why he wasn’t acting. He could be a difficult man to understand sometimes.

The group chose the left path, and with a last burst that depleted his stamina, Chad reached them. A chorus of greetings met his arrival as they glanced over their shoulders.

“Told you he was gonna come,” Ted said, nudging Jimmy’s ribs with an elbow. “Boyfriend or not, he can’t resist some tits and a—”

Samantha half turned, giving Ted’s chest a playful shove. “Oh come on.” She winked at Chad before facing forward again.

At the front of the group, Paul was holding a cooler and walking beside Doug. Samantha and Sara were in the middle, and Ted and Jimmy were at the back. Chad remained behind everyone, still mentally asking himself why he’d bothered to come. He wouldn’t be able to swim and he would rather look at Jason’s naked body. This was only a diversion until he could figure out what to do next. He had a car now, so he could go home and wait for Jason there. But what if the cops arrived to ask more questions? Thanks to Chris, they were doubting his version of the events.

After crossing a short bridge, the group continued down the road towards two cabins. An abandoned yellow car was parked between them with its hood up, and boxes filled the back seats. With four vehicles and probably a boat somewhere, plenty of escape routes were available. Even if Jason decided to make a move, the result might not be a complete bloodbath. Well, Chad had believed something similar at Higgins Haven, and it hadn’t turned out that great for them.

They took a shortcut between the cabins, following a path that led to a narrow trail barred by a wooden gate. A loud snap emerged from a dense cluster of trees ahead, making everyone freeze a few feet from the trail entrance.

A raccoon scurried up the trail, and the matter was dismissed with nervous laughs. Doug flipped the latch on the gate and opened it. Brown leaves covered the ground, crunching as the walk to Crystal Point resumed. Gnarly trees and tall hills lined both sides, casting shadows across the trail. The only path was forward or backward. It was a perfect place for an ambush.

Jimmy crossed his arms and looked sideways at Ted, who was listening to rock music on a walkman. “I think when we get back into town, I should call Betty.” Jimmy didn’t receive a response. “Hey Ted, I said when we get back into town, I think I should call Betty.”

Ted swung his arms outward. “Jimbo, calling Betty is what a dead fuck would do.” Everyone else glanced back at them. Ted took his headphones off and draped them around his neck. He put a hand on Jimmy’s shoulder. “Look, first rule of not being a dead fuck. Don’t have a limp pecker. Second rule. Don’t get rejected by the same girl twice. If you’re gonna get rejected again, do it with a new girl so you don’t make a fool of yourself.”

“Well I don’t have a limp pecker. And I don’t know anyone new.”

Ted grinned. “Well sex is a great way to meet ‘em.”

Right on cue, two brown-haired twins wearing pink tops and blue shorts came racing down the hill on their bicycles. They giggled as they slammed on the brakes. “Sorry!” they said in unison.

If Tiffany had been here, they could’ve been triplets. Ted and Jimmy moved to the front of the group to get a better view, and Chad stood to the side. The only difference between the twins and Tiffany was their clothing. It was less slutty because their tops weren’t cropped and their shorts weren’t as short or tight. Doug and Paul almost had them beat in the short shorts department.

Paul gave the twins a head to toe inspection. “Don’t worry about it.” Noticing his interest, Samantha wrapped her hands around his upper arm and looked down her nose at them.

“Hi,” Jimmy said, and the twins echoed the greeting. “Do you girls, uh, live around here?”

“No, we were just taking a ride outside of town,” the prettier one replied. “I’m Tina, and she’s Terri.”

“Wouldn’t mind taking her for a ride,” Ted whispered to Jimmy. A week ago, Chad would’ve said the same thing.

“Uh, how far is it to Crystal Point?” Paul asked.

Terri smiled and pointed further down the trail. “That’s where we’re going.” Her voice was higher-pitched than her sister’s, which had a more sultry tone.

“It’s a long walk,” Tina said, tilting her head for emphasis.

Ted tapped a hand against his chest. “We can take it.” His lips parted as he swept his eyes down her figure.

“I’m going back to get the car,” Sara said. She turned around and began to walk away from the group. Except for Doug and Chad, the others followed the twins.

“Sara, you want some company?” Doug asked.

She turned to face him, slowly stepping backward. “Thanks, but I’ll meet you guys there.” Her answer was met with an “all right” from Doug. Sara continued down the trail, causing Chad’s heart to jump.

“Wait!” His panicked shout made everyone stop walking. “Didn’t you hear about that killer roaming around? The green-haired guy. He could be hiding in the forest.”

Sara looked at Chad with a nervous smile. “Maybe you could come with me?”

“I think we should stay as a group. Strength in numbers.” They were going to end up dead anyway, but that didn’t mean Chad wanted to see Sara’s corpse on the way back.

“That’s a good idea.”

Sara walked past Chad to Doug’s side, and the trip to Crystal Point resumed. Samantha was now at the front with Paul, holding his hand. The twins were behind them, wheeling their bikes. Jimmy and Ted were staring at their asses.

“He’s cute,” Tina said softly to Terri. She glanced over her shoulder and winked.

Ted raised two fingers. “Two of them. Two. Count them.” He pointed at Tina, then Terri. “One, two.”

“Yeah, and two of us,” Jimmy muttered. Chad could see the goofy grin on Jimmy’s face even from the back.

“Who’s the pretty boy in the back?” Tina asked no one in particular.

Ted stepped beside Tina and waved a hand dismissively. “That’s just Chad. He says he’s got a boyfriend, but ol’ Teddy Bear’s up for grabs.”

“And... and me too,” Jimmy said.

There was a long period of awkward silence as the twins looked elsewhere, pretending to admire the splendid scenery of bushes and gnarly trees. Ted slowed his pace until he was beside Jimmy again. He shot Chad a glare over his shoulder, to which Chad responded with a shrug. He hadn’t done anything to warrant hostility, and he had no interest in screwing the twins.

“They’re all yours,” Chad mouthed silently.

That seemed to appease Ted. He nodded once and turned his head back to the front, putting his headphones on. Aside from Sara and Chad, who remained silent, the group talked about ordering pizza and other trivial matters regarding the upcoming party. Music, dancing, getting drunk, and smoking joints. None of that interested him, but he would probably go just for the sake of passing the hours until his reunion with Jason.

The wait at Higgins Haven had been agonizing, even with the diversions throughout the day. He could slip out of the party periodically to provide opportunities for Jason to meet with him, and by staying in the area, he could also maintain his lie of having rented a room in case the police showed up. The others already had a death sentence from his simple presence here, so it didn’t matter how he occupied his time. Unless... Pamela. He could drive home after this and visit her bedroom. When Jason awakened, she would tell him about it.

Chad sighed. He did have choices—more than he’d originally thought, but none of them were ideal. The cops were the biggest issue. If he could get in touch with the owner of the rental properties around the Jarvis House, then he could pay a few months in advance for a cabin, unpack the belongings that his mom had brought for him, and return occasionally to see if the cops were still on his ass about his involvement in the incidents this past week. They couldn’t expect him to stay at the cabin all the time, so if he wasn’t there, he had plenty of excuses to use. But of course that plan would only work if Jason didn’t turn this place into another massacre.

“We’re here,” Tina said.

The end of the trail opened to a large section of the lake with a beach. Another trail, wide enough for vehicles to pass through, was located on top of a hill. Paul set his cooler down under the shade of a tree, and Sara headed for the dock at the right side of the beach. Having no intentions to go skinny dipping either, Chad sat beside her near the edge and folded his legs under him. He needed to be ready to spring into action in case of any dock spider sightings.

He’d expected Tina to be the first person to shed her clothing, but it was her soft-spoken sister instead. Terri dropped her shirt and shorts onto the ground, revealing a pink and turquoise bikini. It was definitely less slutty than what Tiffany had worn, as the upper part resembled a bandeau and the bottom actually covered Terri’s ass. She gripped the rope and swung into the water while the others cheered her on.

“Come on in!” Terri yelled, waving an arm and giggling.

“Oh... no! No, we don’t have any suits!” Jimmy yelled back, his arms still crossed as he smiled sheepishly. Ted gave Jimmy a once-over look of disbelief, as if he was crazy to turn down the opportunity to swim with these beauties.

Paul was the next person to strip. He pulled his dark blue shirt over his head, revealing a hairy chest with a bit of ab definition. His body wasn’t that spectacular, particularly because of his pasty chicken legs. Water splashed everywhere as he swung and submerged himself in the water.

“All right!” Ted shouted, pumping his fists. Jimmy stared at him blankly, failing to see the appeal of it all.

“Skinny dip!” Paul threw his shorts to the shoreline.

Tina removed her clothing, showing the same swimsuit as her sister. After Tina swung, Samantha stepped onto the small wooden platform, above which the rope was suspended. She pulled her grey sweater off, and Chad averted his eyes at the sight of her tits. Normally he wouldn’t have any shame about ogling the wares, but now that he was committed, it didn’t seem like the right thing to do. He smiled as he remembered Jason in a speedo. The thick neck, broad shoulders, huge biceps, muscular pecs, chiseled abs, rippling legs, round ass, and that huge package stuffed under a tiny piece of cloth... those were sights to behold.

The twins looked at each other and giggled. They dove under the surface, and when they emerged, their swimsuits were off. They threw the tops and bottoms in Ted’s direction. He hastily removed his jean vest, white t-shirt, jeans, and boxers, then ran into the water. His courage caused Jimmy to take a few hesitant steps towards the lake. Samantha and Doug had already removed their clothing and entered while Chad had been daydreaming about Jason’s body.

Out of the girls, Samantha had the best figure. She was athletic, but she still had meat on her bones. Despite the twins’ similarity to Tiffany, they weren’t as curvy as Chad expected them to be. Their tits were smaller and their asses weren’t as big. Well, Tiffany had more of a square ass than a round one. Her booty shorts had given the illusion that it was bigger than reality.

Ted was the most toned out of the guys, but his ass was flatter than Chad’s and his muscles weren’t as defined. His dick didn’t look that impressive either. Perhaps two inches when flaccid. He had no business mocking Jimmy about his pecker. Jimmy hadn’t mustered the courage to join the others yet, and Sara was still sitting quietly beside Chad, so he couldn’t comment on their figures.

Chad was tempted to show off his beach body and bask in the jealousy, but he decided against it. That course of action would only cause the girls to get more infatuated with him, so he was content to watch the group have fun by splashing each other and taking wild swings on the rope. Sara removed a notebook and a towel from her bag, laying it behind him. She stretched out on her back and leaned an elbow on the dock, using her other hand to write.

He raised an eyebrow as Jimmy suddenly pulled his pants down, following up with his boxers and button-down shirt. The guy did have balls, and his penis wasn’t a millimeter long either. It was impossible to tell without a ruler, but Chad guessed the flaccid length at being three inches. The source of his dead fuck status had to be his lack of skill at using it. Some guys were naturally gifted, while others needed a bit of practice. Then there was Jason, who didn’t even have to try because of the sheer size of his cock. It was bound to hit something.

Samantha swam to the dock and leaned her forearms on it beside Chad. Water droplets clung to her tanned skin. It amazed him how her pink lipstick and black eyeliner still looked pristine. Had to be some high-end stuff. “Come in, you two. Let’s see what you got!”

Chad lifted his right hand off his lap and put it back down. “I don’t want to get my hand wet. Just got it re-bandaged this morning.”

“He’s got an excuse, but what about you, Sara?”

Sara looked down at her notebook, smiling awkwardly. “No.” She pretended to be busy with writing.

“C’mon, Sara. Strip and dip.”

She flung her pencil onto the notebook. Her smile faded. “Sam, I said no.”

“Well then I’m gonna go under and stay under until you do,” Samantha said haughtily.

Sara turned away and put her writing instruments into her bag. “See you later!”

Samantha took a deep breath and submerged herself. A few seconds later, there was a disturbance in the water, and Sara leaned over the edge of the dock. Her eyes widened.

“Sam? Sam? Come on. Sam!”

“Calm down, Sara. She’s just pranking you.” Even as the words came out of Chad’s mouth, he hoped it really was just a prank. His attempt at reassurance did nothing to calm Sara’s nerves. She repeated Samantha’s name, her soft voice rising with panic. The rest of the group was on the other side of the beach, too busy having fun to hear.

Samantha emerged from under the dock, her body floating outward and face resembling a blowfish. Chad rolled his eyes, already knowing dead bodies didn’t float right away. Sara was too hysterical to talk sense into, so he stayed quiet. She reached for Samantha and screamed as she was pulled into the water by a hand gripping her forearm. Samantha burst into laughter and watched Sara flounder.

“Ah! Samantha, you bitch!”

Sara had some fire in her after all. Chad smiled as he offered her a hand, but she looked at his bandage and shook her head. Coughing and spluttering, she gripped the edge of the dock and hauled herself up. Samantha returned to the others, who were still whooping and howling with not a care in the world.

“Sorry,” Chad said. “I tried to warn you.”

“It’s okay. I’ll dry off soon.” Sara lay on the towel, shielding her eyes from the glare of the sun.

In the background of the ruckus, the sound of tires crunching on leaves was heard. The burgundy Dodge Polara appeared at the top of the hill, and Gordon leapt out of the open window on the driver’s side. He zoomed towards the lake, his tail wagging.

“Gordon!” Trish called.

Tommy opened the passenger door and ran after him, followed by Trish. “Hey Gordon, wait up!” When Tommy reached the bottom, his eyes widened with wonder as he saw the bare asses of the twins, diving straight down. “Whoa.”

Trish gripped his shoulders and oriented his body to the hill. “Tommy, turn around.”

Tommy turned his head to get another look. “Come on, can’t I just—”

“Turn around!” Her order was complied with at first, but Tommy couldn’t help himself. He stole several glances as Trish focused on the others.

Doug waved an arm, beckoning Trish to the lake. “C’mon in!”

“No thanks. I think I’m overdressed!” she said with a forced smile.

“Hey Trish!” Ted yelled. “Party tonight!”

Tommy sighed. “Come on, Gordon. We’re not old enough for this.” Upon noticing Chad, Tommy smiled and waved.

“Any of you guys want a ride back?” Trish asked, still gripping Tommy’s shoulders as she started to usher him up the hill.

Her question was ignored by everyone but Chad. He stood and jogged to catch up with Trish, Tommy, and Gordon. He’d seen more than enough tits, asses, pussies, and tiny dicks for one day. “So uh... anything interesting happen in town?” Like a Jason sighting, but that part wasn't mentioned.

“It took us longer to get through town than I thought it would.” Trish opened the back door and waited until Gordon and Chad entered, then closed it and entered the driver’s seat. Her brother sat on the passenger side. “A dead guy supposedly escaped from the morgue, so the police are patrolling everywhere."

That was the only confirmation Chad needed. The crashing through the woods had been Jason’s footsteps. “Huh. No word about that green-haired suspect?”

Trish started the car and turned it around. She drove slowly, keeping a keen eye on her surroundings. “From what I’ve heard, the cops are looking for a masked man now. No sightings yet, but a dead hitchhiker was found this morning. And two dead morgue workers.” She laughed nervously. “His body was probably stolen from the morgue. I mean, people don’t just wake up.”

Chad chuckled. “Yeah. Sounds like the cops are smoking the good stuff.” The cops either believed Jason rose from the dead and killed the morgue workers, or they thought someone else killed the workers and wheeled Jason’s body out of there in broad daylight.

“Hey Chad, some pack of patootsies we saw huh?” Tommy asked, glancing over his shoulder.

Trish looked sideways at him. “Tommy...” She turned her head back to the road and sighed. Rattling sounds suddenly emerged from the car. “Oh no. What next?”

She pulled over. Tommy exited the car and popped the hood, clearly accustomed to fixing this rust bucket. The thing had to be over a decade old. He started to fiddle with something.

Trish leaned out of the window. “Can you fix it?”

Tommy walked to the edge of the hood. “Uh, I need a screwdriver.”

“Maybe there’s one in the trunk.”

Tommy jogged to the back of the car, then returned to the driver’s window. “Need the keys.”

Trish took the keys out of the ignition and handed them to him. He opened the trunk while Trish looked around cautiously, spooked by the stories she’d heard around town. A twig snapped in the forest behind the car. “Tommy, come on!”

“There’s no screwdriver.” Tommy passed the keys to Trish and moved to the hood. Soft footsteps approached the car as he fiddled with it again, and Gordon whined as he poked his head out the back window.

Trish glanced at Chad. “Do you see anyone back there?”

Chad shook his head. There was nothing but trees and the winding road. Plenty of hiding spots for his stealthy lover, however.

“Turn it on, Trish!” Tommy said. She revved the engine a few times without success. “Turn it on!” Tommy ceased whatever he was doing and gasped.

A male voice emerged from behind the hood. “Hi, I’m Rob Dier. Sorry about that.” There had been a Rob at Packanack, though Chad hadn’t known him very well. He’d never found out the guy’s surname, but it wouldn’t surprise him if this was another twin. Stranger things had happened over the past week, like the discovery of a man who could shift, stalk, sense, and morph at will.

Trish got out of the car and walked to the hood. “Oh, hello.”

“Hi. What’s your problem?” Rob asked.

“No problem,” Trish said, sounding a bit flustered. If this guy had the same face as the other Rob, then Chad didn’t know what the big deal was. He’d been an average Joe and not even close to Jason in the looks department.

“I mean your problem with the car.”

“Oh, the car... it won’t start.”

“Well, get in and give it a crank.” There were squeaking noises as Rob turned something while Trish tried to get the car started.

“Lookit, I’ve tried everything already,” Tommy said. “The only thing it could be is the solenoid. If you had a screwdriver...”

With a knife in hand, Rob moved to the side of the hood, and Chad finally got a glimpse of him. Yet another familiar face. “Give it another crank."

After several tries, the engine rumbled to life. Trish leaned her arm on the window frame and poked her head out. “You need a ride?”

“Sure. I have a camp set up at Blackfoot.” Rob lowered the hood and entered the car via the passenger door. He reached behind him to put his backpack on the floor, taking a quick look at Chad’s injuries as he did so. Tommy sat on the other side of Chad and pulled the back door closed.

“That’s right near our house. I’m Trish, by the way. The guys in the back are my brother Tommy and his friend Chad.”

“Chad...” Rob muttered. “I heard your name mentioned around town. The one who survived the massacre at Packanack and Higgins Haven. You’re a lucky guy.”

“I got attacked, I escaped, I hid until it was safe. Not much else to say.”

Each word was still coming out as a rasp, and Chad longed for his silent companion more than ever. He sighed loudly, anticipating another interrogation, but Rob must’ve heard his discomfort. The next few minutes were quiet until Trish turned onto a narrow road leading to the main houses.

“I didn’t think anyone lived this deep in the woods,” Rob said.

“We do.” Trish smiled at him. “What brings you here?”

“Bear.” Rob’s answer came before the sentence was fully out of Trish’s mouth. Too quickly. “Anyone up at the lake today?”

Tommy leaned forward and draped his hands over the front seats, looking at Rob as if he was the stupidest guy on earth. “You can’t be hunting for bear.” This was a heavily wooded area, so what did Tommy mean? Rob had brought a shotgun. Maybe it wasn’t the official hunting season yet.

“There any kids?” Rob asked Trish. “Vacationers? Anyone like that?”

“Yeah,” Trish said. “A bunch of kids rented the vacation house across from ours.”

Rob swallowed and pressed his lips in a tight line as he stared out of the passenger window. Something was suspicious about his behavior, like he was expecting another mass murder. Wait... Dier. That surname sounded familiar. There used to be a Sandra Dier. She’d been one of the victims at Packanack Lodge about a month ago. Rob could be seeking revenge for her death, but why now and why here? He could’ve gone back to Packanack in hope of encountering Jason there. And who did he believe to be the killer?

Jason hadn’t cultivated that sort of reputation yet, though the two teens at Camp Crystal Lake had implied that some people were already associating the hockey-masked giant with the legend. Perhaps Rob knew about Jason’s escape from the morgue and he thought Jason was heading here next. This was the closest area to the morgue, and also a haven for young folks in the summer, so it made sense why Rob would come to that conclusion.

“This is it,” Trish said, parking on the road beside the Jarvis House.

“Thanks for the ride.” Rob got out and opened the back door to retrieve his backpack. He slung it over his shoulder, and after taking a more lingering look at Chad’s injuries, he closed the door.

Tommy opened the other door, causing Gordon to take the opportunity to go running off somewhere. “Gordon!”

Trish and Chad also exited the car. She looked at Rob from across the roof. “Would you like to come in the house?”

“Uh, I don’t think I can,” Rob replied.

Tommy grabbed Chad’s left hand and circled around the front, looking to the south for Gordon, but he was gone. At least the dog would be safe from the impending mess. Jason hadn’t given any indications that he would hurt an animal, or even a little kid. Tommy ran over to Rob, continuing to drag Chad behind him. A surprising amount of strength was in his grip.

“Come on. I got something real neat to show you and Chad in my bedroom.”

Tommy didn’t wait for a response. He grabbed Rob’s hand too, dragged them to the front door, released his hand to open it, and continued inside. Tracy was sitting on a couch and knitting. She looked up, alarmed at the sight of another new guy in the house. “Hi, Mom!”

Tracy put her knitting materials beside her and stood up, turning to the staircase as the three of them ascended it. The stairs were too narrow for Tommy to be holding both of their hands, so he opted to hold only Chad’s instead. “Tommy, who’s your other friend?”

Trish gestured to Rob. “Mom, this is Rob. Rob, this is my mother.”

“Hello, Mrs...”

“Jarvis,” Tracy supplied.

At the top of the stairs, Tommy turned the corner and led them to a door on the right side. He opened it, revealing a bedroom with a corner table full of masks in various states of completion, along with art supplies. Chad stood against the wall near the doorway, inspecting them from afar while Rob walked to a green troll-like mask hanging near the table. It was impressive how a kid could be so creative. Chad didn’t have an ounce of creativity in him when it came to the arts, though he did take pride in his natural culinary ability and his knack for coming up with smart plans.

“Amazing...” Rob muttered, feeling the texture and teeth of the mask.

Tommy pressed a finger to his lips behind Rob’s back. He crept to a tall shelf, grabbed a tentacle prop, and returned to Rob. The tentacle was wrapped around Rob’s neck, and his eyes widened as he whipped his head. They smiled at each other.

“C’mere, I wanna show you guys something else.”

Tommy placed the tentacle onto the bed and sat on the edge. Rob sat beside him and Chad stood in front, trying his best to remain patient. He should’ve been getting into his convertible, driving back home, and honking the horn like crazy to draw Jason’s attention. Instead, he was watching and listening to a little boy who was wielding a monster puppet and making growling noises.

“You made all of these yourself?” Chad asked. “They’re awesome.”

Tommy beamed at him. “Thanks. I only customized them.”

Rob ran a hand through his hair. “Chad, I was wondering if—”

“You boys ready for lunch?” Tracy called from downstairs.

“We’re coming!” Tommy yelled.

He took Chad’s hand and dragged him out of the bedroom, saving him from what would’ve been an interrogation about his experiences at the murder sites. Rob sighed and followed them downstairs to the kitchen, where four plates had been set at the round table. Trish was seated and nibbling on a chicken sandwich. Her pale blue eyes fixated on Rob as he sat on a chair beside her and placed his backpack at his feet.

“Don’t forget to wash your hands,” Tracy warned as she started to collect the sandwich ingredients from the counter.

Chad was at the sink and in the process of washing his hands carefully before she’d finished the sentence. He dried them with a tea towel and then walked to the table, sitting between Trish and Tommy. With smiles and exaggerated sighs, Tommy and Rob stood up and went over to the sink to wash theirs as well. Chad already had his sandwich finished by the time they were seated again. It had tasted good, but not as good as the ones he made. Alongside the chocolate chip cookies, he would have to treat Jason to a jizz-worthy chicken sandwich.

“So Rob... how long will you be staying?” Trish asked, putting her half-eaten sandwich down. She leaned her elbows on the table and rested her chin on a hand as she looked at him.

Rob froze with his hand getting ready to lift the sandwich off his plate. “Uh... as long as I need.”

“Oh yeah,” Tommy said flatly. “Until you hunt that bear, right?”

“Tommy...” Trish muttered, rolling her eyes.

Rob released his sandwich. “I don’t want to scare your family, but I have reason to believe that Jason Voorhees is alive.”

Leaning to the side, he rifled through his backpack and removed nine newspaper clippings. He laid them in a row on the middle of the table. Everyone was silent as they read the headlines, including Tracy, who’d walked over after putting the ingredients into the fridge.

_Eleven-Year-Old Boy Drowns in Crystal Lake: Body Not Recovered._ According to the article, Jason had died on June 13th, 1957. His birthday. What happened to his body when he’d been asleep in the lake? Maybe the search hadn’t been that thorough.

_Three Teen Girls Reported Missing After Trip to Camp Crystal Lake._ The date was too faded to read. This was likely related to the skeletons found in the basement of the Voorhees House. Pamela could’ve sacrificed them as a sort of test for performing the ritual.

_Crystal Lake Massacre: Seven Camp Counselors Killed by Local Woman In Brutal Mass Murder._ It had a crude sketch of Jason as a little boy. Pamela had killed the counselors on June 13th, 1979 in an effort to bring him back to life. The ritual she’d performed had activated after her death.

_Massacre at Camp Crystal Lake Leaves One Survivor._ The survivor had been Alice, who’d been killed by Jason two months later in revenge for Pamela’s death. Chad resisted the urge to smile, remembering that Jason had written about petting and feeding the cat before he’d left Alice’s house.

_Massacre at Packanack Lodge Leaves One Survivor._ June 13th, 1984. Another female had survived. Ginny. She must’ve been the person who’d given Jason that big scar on his shoulder. However, there hadn’t been any word around town about a giant wearing a potato sack. The cops had probably dismissed her claims and sent her to a mental asylum, keeping the location secret so the killer wouldn’t come after her.

_Second Massacre at Packanack Lodge Leaves One Survivor._ July 13th, 1984. That one was pretty self-explanatory.

_Murderer Strikes Cafe: Cafe Owner and Wife Found Slain._ July 14th, 1984. Harold and Edna had been killed that night for a set of clothing to replace Jason’s ruined plaid shirt and overalls.

Tw_o Officers Slain at Packanack Lodge._ July 16th, 1984. That was when Jason had killed the officer in his shack and in the lodge itself. The article didn’t mention anything about suspected owners of the shack. By removing most of the contents, he’d eliminated the risk of his identity being discovered.

_Two Teens Killed at Camp Crystal Lake._ July 17th, 1984. Jason had snapped their necks. They’d interrupted the fun in the lake and trespassed on his territory.

Four articles had yet to be published. The massacre at Higgins Haven, the slain hitchhiker between Camp Crystal Lake and the Jarvis House, the two murdered morgue workers, and Jason’s escape from the morgue. The last article would likely say that Jason’s body had been stolen. Normal people didn’t fall asleep in a dead-like state and then wake up.

Rob was the first to speak. He stared at the article about the initial massacre at Packanack. “My sister, Sandra... she was a really good kid. She was found dead at Packanack Lodge. Spear embedded through her back.”

“The man who killed your sister is still out there, isn’t he?” Trish asked.

“He’s still out there, but he’s not the man you think.” Rob’s gaze flicked to Chad, then to Trish. “There’s no green-haired guy. The man who killed my sister is Jason Voorhees.”

Trish pointed at the newspaper article of Jason’s drowning. “But Jason is dead. And that masked man everyone’s talking about... he could be a guy playing dress up. He was killed at Higgins Haven. They brought his body to the morgue.”

Rob shook his head. “He’s not dead. A normal man couldn’t do the things he’s done. And his body disappeared from the morgue this morning.”

“It was stolen,” Trish said, furrowing her eyebrows. “Corpses don’t just wake up and start walking around.”

“It was not stolen!” Rob insisted. “Two people at the morgue are dead. Coincidence? He’s alive. This isn’t a normal man we’re talking about.”

Chad shrugged. “You can believe what you want, but I know what I saw. I was there, and you weren’t. It sounds like you’re obsessed with this Jason Voorhees.” His words calmed Trish and Tracy, their shoulders relaxing.

“You two done with those?” Tommy asked, gesturing to Trish’s half-eaten sandwich and Rob’s untouched one. Rob pushed his plate away.

“Sorry, Mom.” Trish smiled at Tracy. “This zombie talk made me lose my appetite.”

“That’s okay, honey.” Tracy transferred the sandwiches onto one plate and piled the four of them. “Tommy, why don’t you treat your friends to a few games of Zaxxon? I’ll let you off dishwashing duty for the rest of today.”

Trish gave Rob a coy look, her mouth quirking into a small smile. It was a look that silently said “or we can go up to my bedroom.” Chad almost gagged. This guy was hardly Prince Charming.

Rob collected the newspaper clippings and placed them into his backpack. “Maybe later. Chad, if you don’t mind, I’d like to know more about your—”

“I do mind. I didn’t come here to relive bad memories.” Chad stood up and flashed a grin to Tracy. “Thanks for the awesome sandwich.”

“No problem. I hope you’ll join us at dinner for my leftover tuna salad.” Tracy dumped the sandwiches into the trashcan and brought the plates to the sink.

Tommy grabbed Chad’s hand and led him to the living room. “I guess it’s just you and me. We’ll see if you can beat my score of 98,000.” The corner of the living room had a desk with what appeared to be a TRS-80 Color Computer. Tommy leaned in front of the chair and booted up the game, his fingers flying on the keyboard. A menu screen with Load Game, Reset High Score, and Backup Disk appeared on the monitor. “You can play first.”

Chad sat on the chair and picked up the joystick. It felt foreign in his hand, as his experience with video games was limited to the few occasions where he’d gone to Adam’s house. The mansion had everything except for a game console. His mom would’ve bought him nearly anything else in the world, but video games were off the list because they encouraged addiction and laziness. Ironically, he’d gotten pampered for eighteen years by not having to lift a finger around the house.

“The stick controls the pilot, and that button’s for firing. You’ll encounter ground planes, fighter jets, homing missiles...”

Tommy’s explanation of the game was barely heard as Chad looked out the window to his left. Jason was alive. Playing video games was the last thing he should be doing right now. Jason wouldn’t have eaten anything in about twenty hours, assuming he hadn’t morphed home to get a snack. Wait, he’d grabbed the granola bars from the dresser before departing to Higgins Haven, but he still needed a proper meal. The chickens and garden also needed water, gas had to be purchased, stuff still had to be put away, and above all else, Jason would be seeking comfort after what had happened to him.

“And the fuel tanks are for...” Tommy shook Chad’s shoulder. “Are you listening?”

Chad put the joystick down and smiled apologetically at Tommy. “Sorry. I was just thinking about the stuff I have to do.”

Tommy sighed. “If you don’t want to play, that’s fine. We can do something else.”

Chad stood up and moved to the back of the chair. He gestured in the direction of the kitchen. “Actually, I need to talk to your mom for a bit. I’m looking for a place to rent.”

Tommy’s shoulders drooped as he sat and picked up the joystick. “Okay. See you later.”

Probably not, but Chad didn’t say it. He couldn’t. It was bad enough to have seen the disappointment etched on Tommy’s features. The friendship he sought would have to be found somewhere else.

Chad strode to the kitchen, finding it empty apart from Tracy putting away the dishes in a cupboard. Perhaps Trish and lover boy had decided to have some alone time after all. He stopped at the counter, eyeing the plate of chocolate cookies. Those were definitely off limits unless he wanted to transform into a Lachappa.

“Do you know the owner of the cabins around here? Or owners.”

Tracy put the last dish into the glass cabinet and turned to the counter. She opened a thin phone book and flipped through a few pages, running a finger down the list of businesses. “Let’s see... here he is. David Jones. He owns the properties here. You mentioned looking for a place to rent?”

“Yeah. I moved out of my house. Not too familiar with this area.”

Tracy raised a finger. “Ah. I have the solution for that.” Digging through a drawer, she removed a map and unfolded it in front of Chad. Twelve cabins were marked on the map, most of them located along the borders. “They don’t usually come with kitchens, so you’d have to cook the old-fashioned way.”

Then it was a good thing he wasn’t actually going to stay in a cabin for any longer than was necessary. He wouldn’t be able to live on campfire food for weeks, months, or even a day. “I’m an outdoorsy guy. Can’t you tell?”

Tracy smiled as she looked at his designer shirt. “The phone’s right over there. I’m going to head outside and see where Gordon has gone off to. If you boys get hungry, help yourselves to anything in the kitchen.”

“Thanks for everything.”

Tracy patted Chad’s shoulder on her way past him to the front door. He listened to it open and close, the familiar burning sensation returning to his chest. Upstairs, he could hear muffled giggles, and zapping sounds emerged from the living room. By coming here, did he really sentence these people to die? She’d welcomed him into her home, knowing absolutely nothing about him except that he’d communicated with her son on a radio. He could’ve been a psycho.

Chad brought a hand to his forehead and sighed as he stared at the map. Everything would work out. He would reunite with Jason, the cops would get off his ass, and the Jarvis family would emerge from this mess unscathed. Nothing to worry about.

He dragged his feet to the phone and dialed David’s number. A minute later, he had an appointment made to view some of the cabins for rent. Returning to the map, he looked at the three icons near Fire Branch Camp to the west. They were near the main road that led south to Camp Crystal Lake. Any of the larger cabins would be suitable, as they all had bathrooms. A kitchen or bedroom wasn’t required. The groceries and clothes from the car could just stay on the floor until the cops stopped demanding to know where he was staying. After that, he truly could disappear into the forest with Jason.

According to the clock on the wall, it was already 2pm. He hoped to hell that Jason wouldn’t wait until nightfall to show himself. Seven more hours would be excruciating. Was Jason even here, or was he off doing something else? Maybe he was at home, trying to calm himself down. That had to be it. Not a single sighting of him since his awakening.

Letting out another heavy sigh, Chad grabbed a cookie from the counter. A bit of chocolate could always soothe a dreary mood. Before he realized what he was doing, one cookie had turned into five, and he gasped around a mouthful of crumbs. He’d planned on driving his convertible to the meeting spot with David, but that wouldn’t be happening now. He had to walk those calories off. But he also had to bring the bags there, and making fifteen trips back and forth wasn’t very appealing. Oh well, those calories would likely be burned with Jason later.

Chad took another look at the map, trying to memorize it. Two narrow trails extended from the Jarvis House to the cluster of cabins to the west. As long as he remembered that, it should be easy enough to find his way around. He strode to the front door and opened it, stepping onto the porch.

“I’m heading out, Tommy. Might not be back today. Thanks for showing me your masks.”

“Yeah,” Tommy mumbled, fully absorbed in Zaxxon.

Pulling the door closed behind him, Chad descended the porch stairs and continued to his convertible. The dark clouds had gotten closer since this morning, but they were still far off. Music was blasting from the vacation house, and the twins' bikes were parked near the porch railing. The others weren’t dead yet, even though Jason would’ve had ample opportunity to kill them on their way back.

Chad took the keys out of his pocket and unlocked the car door. Before entering, he scanned his surroundings for Jason, but no one was in sight. The sun was shining, birds were chirping, and all was well. Except his lover was still missing. He honked the horn a few times to let everyone know he was leaving. They were too engrossed in their own business to pay him any attention, and that was fine. He wasn’t here to make friends.

It was a short but tricky drive to the western cabins. The trail was very narrow, and he came close to denting his pristine convertible on several occasions. David, a portly man with thinning grey hair, was waiting for him in front of the largest cabin. Chad removed the keys from the ignition and locked the door just to be on the safe side. He walked over to David and extended his right hand out of habit, wincing as it was accepted in a firm shake.

David turned around and unlocked the door, revealing a living room with a single couch facing the fireplace, a desk, and a few other furnishings. The cabin had a different layout than the one at Higgins Haven. From front to back, there were three hallways. The first led to the side entrance, the second led to a workbench and had doors that merged it with the other hallways, and the third led to a long bedroom with single beds that were low to the floor. A bathroom with a tub was located at the end. No kitchen, but that didn’t matter. In the event that he did have to stay here for a day or two, he could sneak into another cabin through an unlocked window and use the cooking appliances.

“How much is the rent?” Chad asked after they returned outside.

David’s eyes darted over Chad’s clothing before he answered. “A hundred bucks per week or three hundred per month. If you’re only staying for a few days, we round up.” His voice was gravelly from decades of smoking, and he reeked so much that Chad had to take a step back.

“I’ll take it.”

There was no point checking out the smaller cabins. His experiences at the other campsites in Crystal Lake had taught him that they had few variations in layout, and a bathroom was a necessity. No one would believe that a wealthy guy like him would be pissing in the bushes like an animal. He shoved his hand into his pocket, counting through the hundred-dollar bills without removing them. Pulling out six bills, he handed them to David and received a key in return. That would cover the rent until the middle of September. Surely the cops would leave him alone by then.

“Works for me,” David said, pocketing the money with a squint-eyed look at Chad’s pocket. “I’ll be back on September 19th to pick up the key. Leave it under the rug in the living room.” He waddled to his grey car and circled to the driver’s side, pausing with his hand on the door handle. “You be careful around these parts. Heard there’s a psycho afoot.”

“Yeah... thanks for the warning.” From an outsider’s perspective, it would’ve been nice to know about that psycho before the money had switched hands.

The old car puttered down the main road, heading south. Chad trudged the several meters to his own vehicle, growing more weary by the second under the blistering sun. The idea of crashing on the couch and sleeping for the rest of the day was a lot better than lugging these bags, but at least he could get this over with. He unlocked the passenger door and lowered the seat, gaining easier access to the back. With how observant his mom was, all of these bags had to be brought inside. If he took some of them home, he could picture her or the cops showing up here and wondering where the other bags were located.

Since his right hand was out of commission, it took him fifteen trips to bring the bags into the living room. At the end of it all, he was struggling to put one foot in front of the other to make that final trip to the car to lock it. He’d wanted a workout and he was getting it, so he couldn’t complain. Sweat trickled down his face as he shuffled back into the cabin and closed the door, not bothering to secure it.

The couch was calling to him. He flopped down on it, draping an arm and leg over the edge. The soft cushions provided comfort that had evaded him over the past day, and his eyes fluttered. He yearned to be at home, away from the troubles of the outside world. As sleep began to overtake him, he hoped the handsome face of his lover would be the first thing he would see when he woke up.


	4. Interrogation

It wasn’t the face of his lover that Chad woke up to. This face was covered in dark gold hair and had soft brown eyes, a long snout, and a black nose. Drool dripped onto his extended arm as Gordon stuck his tongue out, panting heavily. Chad blinked slowly, his brain trying to catch up to his eyes. Why was a dog inside his cabin? Right, he hadn’t locked the front door. But since when could dogs open them?

“Sorry,” Tommy said from the doorway. He kicked the toe of his shoe against the wooden floor as he stared at it. “Mom wanted me to ask if you’d like to come for dinner. We were taking a walk, and I saw your car, and you didn’t answer, so...”

“What time is it?” Chad asked, moving to a seated position on the couch. He scooted away from Gordon, who smelled like he’d already partaken in some of that leftover tuna salad.

“Around 8pm.” Tommy gestured to the bags beside the doorway. “Do you need any help with those?”

“Nah, I’m fine. I have lots of time to unpack them.” Chad yawned as he stretched his arms out. It was hard to believe he’d slept for almost six hours. He was certain that Jason wasn’t here, so there was no harm in eating more food at the Jarvis House. It was a bit late to be doing that, but he didn’t anticipate getting much sleep tonight after the long nap. “I guess I’ll join you guys for dinner.”

Tommy’s eyes brightened and his posture perked up immediately, as if he’d been expecting Chad to refuse the dinner invitation. “Okay. Come on, Gordon.”

The dog bolted out of the cabin and followed Tommy as he began walking back to the house at a brisk pace. Chad wished he shared their enthusiasm. Despite the nap, his body still felt depleted of energy as he stood up and dragged his feet outside. Retrieving the key from his pocket, he locked the door and turned to Tommy and Gordon, who were already getting close to the narrow trail that led to the house. Instead of eating dinner with the Jarvis family, the more attractive option was going home and looking for Jason there, but it was still the first day after the Higgins Haven massacre. The cops wouldn’t let him off that easily.

Half an hour remained until the sunset. The storm clouds appeared to be heading in a different direction, deciding to spare Crystal Lake from their fury, and the bright sun remained visible. A warm breeze ruffled his hair as he jogged to catch up with Tommy. The rocky cliffs loomed on either side of the trail. This place would be a death trap if a car tried to come through here with Jason on its ass. No room for the car to maneuver, but enough room for a well-timed shift.

“Do you believe that Jason Voorhees stuff?” Tommy asked, looking sideways at Chad.

Chad shook his head. “He drowned twenty-seven years ago. The newspapers confirmed it.”

“Yeah, but...” Tommy smiled faintly as he pushed his glasses up. “Did you really see a guy with green hair? That defies the laws of human hair color.”

“I did. There’s this thing called hair dye. Your sister uses it.”

“You have a point.” Tommy pointed at the cuts and bruises on Chad’s neck. “Did that guy do this to you?”

It was a sore topic, but Chad couldn’t be angry at him for bringing it up. Tommy was just a curious little boy who meant no harm. “No, someone else hurt me. Two actually. They tried to take my money and I fought back. Bad idea.”

Tommy frowned and faced forward. “I hope those jerks got what they deserved.”

“They did.”

The better route might’ve been to let Loco and Ali take their pleasure without fighting back, but were such men even capable of gentleness? Would the result have turned out any differently?

Jason wasn’t like those men. He was able to learn from his mistakes, and he’d expressed regret through his body language after returning to the bedroom where everything had begun. The experiences in the southwestern cabin and the lodge bedroom had been the product of a man who hadn’t been familiar with the ways of sex. He’d gotten too excited and hadn’t understood the concept that monstrous cocks shouldn’t be shoved into mouths or tiny openings. And during the first act of anal penetration, he’d been under a state of rage, unable to think clearly. Even then, he’d hung onto that sliver of control instead of focusing purely on his own pleasure. Chad had forgiven Jason that same night, but there was no forgiving the other men. Three dented motorcycles hadn’t warranted payback of that scale.

Chad’s eyes started to water as he looked at Gordon, who’d moved to his left side. The big brown eyes looked back at him as he slowly stroked the soft fur. Dogs seemed to have a sense for knowing when something was wrong, and this was a simple comfort at a time when he needed it. Maybe he would get a puppy to raise with Jason. A few baths here and there would solve the dog smelling like dog problem, and it would be useful for hunting any critters that dared to show their faces.

Everything looked the same between the two houses. The cars were still parked in their original spots and the twins’ bikes were near the porch. The music blasting had ceased, replaced by a blaring sports program, loud howls and cheers, and the occasional boo. The poor girls were likely being driven nuts, and he could imagine them huddled in a bedroom or squished on a couch together, rolling their eyes.

Tommy opened the front door and stepped inside, waiting until Gordon and Chad entered before shutting it. Rob and Trish were already seated at the table, helping themselves to pepperoni pizza. Apparently they weren’t in the mood for Tracy’s tuna salad, and Chad couldn’t blame them. Tuna looked and smelled like something that cats should be eating, but nothing could beat Spam in the nastiness department. Jason had been forced to live on both of those, along with kidney beans and other canned goods. If not for the magical aging process, he never would’ve gotten that muscular. A guy his size would require at least five thousand calories a day, and that reminded Chad of the need to make Jason a proper meal after getting home.

Washing his hands carefully to avoid getting the bandage wet, Chad eliminated every trace of dog and the handshake with that grubby landlord. He returned to the table and sat beside Trish, ignoring the questioning looks Rob sent his way. This was getting old really fast. He’d been granted a reprieve from the interrogation at Higgins Haven, only to jump into another. The second he was on his own, he had no doubts that Rob would corner him and ask questions.

Chad grabbed a slice of pizza and took a small bite, remembering his manners this time as he chewed slowly. The bruises on his neck made him feel like he was under a spotlight, and he didn’t need to attract more attention by acting like an animal that hadn’t eaten in weeks. Despite the delicious taste, each bite was comparable to swallowing glass, and he wasn’t able to finish even half the slice. Gordon whined beside him, the whites of his eyes showing as he begged for a handout.

He patted Gordon’s head. “Sorry, bud. Pizza wouldn’t be good for you.”

The whining amplified in volume. Tracy pretended to be busy washing invisible dishes at the sink. She smiled softly as Tommy checked over his shoulder to see if she was watching. The coast was clear. Tommy grabbed the slice and fed it under the table to Gordon, who snarfed so loudly that the sounds were impossible to miss.

“Did you find a place to rent?” Tracy asked, still avoiding the sight at the table.

“Yeah, I rented the big cabin at Fire Branch Camp.” Conveniently, the cabin was at the opposite side of the map from where Rob had set up camp, but that wouldn’t stop him from paying a visit if he really wanted to. The thought made Chad sigh heavily. He should’ve rented an actual house far away from here. Unfortunately, he’d already fed that story to the cops.

Trish swiped her tongue over her lips, clearing the remnants of sauce after she’d finished eating. “Do you think you’ll go to that party later, Chad?”

“Probably. I should stick around in case the cops show up to ask more questions.”

The incoming sound of a motorcycle drowned out every noise in the room aside from the sudden drumming of Chad’s heart. Tracy strode to the front window and looked through it, shaking her head in disapproval at what she saw. Chad didn’t need to look to know who it was. Footsteps stomped up the porch stairs, followed by loud knocks on the door.

Chad leaned an elbow on the table and lifted a hand to his forehead, letting the other dangle lifelessly beside him. “Dorf. Just my luck.”

“You know him?” Rob asked, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

Tommy gave Rob a blank stare. “Everyone knows Dorf. You can’t not know him unless you’ve been living under a rock.” His snootiness brought a grin to Chad’s face, despite the knowledge of the impending interrogation. For a nerdy kid who looked quiet on the outside, Tommy wasn’t afraid to put people in their place.

The knocks grew more insistent until Tracy finally opened the door. She positioned herself in the middle of the doorway, preventing the insufferable man from barging inside. “Can I help you, officer?”

Dorf’s eyes narrowed as they darted around the kitchen, focusing on Chad. “Got some questions for the brat. Urgent business.” Not once had Dorf referred to him by name. It was always boy, Blondie, or brat.

Tommy fixed Dorf with a glare of his own. He crossed his arms and rested them on the table. “His name is Chad. Not brat.”

“Whatever,” Dorf muttered. His gaze flicked to Tracy. “I gotta speak with him, ma’am. I need you to step aside.” Tracy complied, shooting Chad an apologetic look as Dorf swaggered into the kitchen. He flapped his hand as if swatting a bunch of flies. “All right folks, clear out.”

Everyone else left the room through the kitchen doorway, their footsteps stopping in the dining room. Chairs slid on the ornate rug as they were pulled out. Dorf sat across from Chad and retrieved his pad of paper and pen. He set them on the table and flipped to a blank page. Chad moved his hands to his lap, both to hide the ring and because Dorf wouldn’t show any empathy towards the injuries. This man was all business and the usual charm wasn’t going to work on him.

“Your neck is lookin’ worse,” Dorf said, causing Chad’s jaw to drop. “I won’t be keepin’ you for long.”

Chad closed his mouth and maintained a neutral expression. This could be an attempt to butter him up and make him lower his guard. Dorf and civility didn’t mix.

“You said you used Chris’ van to look for places to stay, right?”

Chad nodded.

“People ‘round town been sayin’ you had a passenger. The masked man.”

That was when he’d taken Jason with him to Sabrina’s Sensual Delights. How the hell would he explain his way out of that? Chad’s hands began to tremble as he searched for an explanation. Dorf’s gaze was piercing, but there wasn't any hostility in his eyes. During the morning at Higgins Haven, Dorf must’ve been venting his frustration at the lack of progress in the investigation. Chad had to admit, if he’d been fed that stupid story about the leprechaun man, he would’ve been pretty pissed himself.

Dorf tapped his pen on the pad, marking it with black dots. “Well?”

“The guy in the mask... I saw him standing on the side of the road. He creeped me out, but I picked him up anyway and dropped him off a few miles down. He didn’t talk. Just pointed.”

Dorf finished writing and looked up at Chad. “So you knew the man before that barn business. Why didn’t you say anythin’?”

“I didn’t think it mattered. Now it makes more sense why he tried to intervene.”

Dorf nodded slowly. “Huh. I got some theories about what happened. You’re tellin’ the truth and Chris is loony, you’re in cahoots with that masked man, or somethin’ set that man off and made him go on a murder spree.” It was a combination of those three things actually.

Chad shrugged. “I don’t know about you, but I’m more inclined to believe the first theory. Any other questions?”

“One more. You know anythin’ about the sexual assault in the barn?”

“I...” Chad lowered his head, staring at the table. As a tear fell onto the wood, a snout rested on his thigh and a tongue licked his wrist. “They’re dead. It doesn’t matter anymore.” But it did matter. He could still remember every second after that moment when he’d opened the barn door, including the bloody aftermath. The sights, scents, sounds, and feelings would never be forgotten. The air had been so filled with the smell of copper that he’d been able to taste it.

Dorf put the pen and pad into his pocket. He stood up and walked to Chad’s side of the table, giving him an awkward pat on the shoulder. “You have a good night now, bo—Chad. But don’t be goin’ anywhere.” Dorf’s footsteps headed for the front door. It was opened and closed softly. The motorcycle was revved and gravel crunched as he drove away.

Chad quickly wiped his eyes, listening in expectation of more footsteps approaching, but they didn’t arrive. The group in the dining room was silent, undoubtedly having eavesdropped on the interrogation. Gordon was still at his feet, using his thigh for a headrest. The dog sighed in contentment and gave his wrist a few more lazy licks. Chad didn’t want to think about where that tongue had been.

“Come on, you stinky mutt. I have to wash those germs off.”

Gordon raised his head and followed him to the sink. His tail wagged rapidly as Chad washed the pizza residue and dog saliva off his hands and wrists. The bandage was getting to be a pain in the ass, and he longed for the day when he could remove it. Aside from a slight sting whenever he flexed his hand, the pain was largely non-existent.

Tommy’s footsteps, far softer than the others, approached the kitchen. He collected the plates from the table, ignoring Tracy’s earlier dismissal of his dishwashing duty. The kid probably didn’t understand the concept of sexual assault, and Chad hadn’t verbally admitted its occurrence to Dorf, but it was still embarrassing to think that the Jarvis family and Rob had overheard the conversation. And they weren’t the only people who would know. Dorf would tell Chad’s parents and other relevant people in the investigation, and then the entirety of Crystal Lake would hear about it because no one could keep their mouths shut in small towns. His dad already knew what happened thanks to the clothing incident at the lake, but his mom would freak out that her precious angel had been harmed. She, along with everyone else, would look at him differently. The male victim of rape.

Chad hurried to the front window and looked through it, feeling a shameful flush spread over his face. Living as a hermit in the woods was becoming more and more appealing. The sky was beginning to turn into shades of pink and gold as the sun made its descent towards the horizon. With Dorf gone and night on its way, there was no reason to stick around any longer. However, Rob would likely be checking up on Chad to ensure he was inside his cabin. Then what? To prevent that from happening, he could say he was staying overnight at a friend’s house. That wouldn’t be a lie, and Rob didn’t have a vehicle of his own, so he wouldn’t be able to follow the drive to the Voorhees House. But how would that overnight stay be arranged, even if it was just an act?

The mobile phone he'd charged in the bedroom. Grinning at his moment of genius, Chad strode to the dining room, finding Trish, Tracy, and Rob still seated. He paused in the doorway, his cheerfulness fading from the uncomfortable looks he received. Rob had likely been feeding them more stories about Jason, but if Rob could convince them to leave, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing. He could have his stupid showdown with Jason by himself, and his obsession would end with his death.

“I’m gonna call a friend and ask if I can stay the night. Thanks for letting me spend the day here, Tracy.” She smiled and opened her mouth to respond, but Rob interrupted her, his eyebrows furrowing in suspicion.

“Didn’t Dorf tell you not to go anywhere? And you just rented a cabin.”

“Rob,” Trish muttered, shaking her head disbelievingly. “He’s answered enough questions for one day.”

“Honey, maybe it’s time you said goodbye to Rob." Tracy gestured to the window beside her and winked at Chad. “It’ll be getting dark soon. I’m sure Rob wants to get back before those bears start prowling around.”

Chad raised a hand. “Nice meeting you, Rob.” Not really, and he hoped to never see the guy again. Rob’s obsession didn’t only extend to Jason.

He returned to the kitchen and dialed the number for home. Even if Jason wasn’t able to answer, that problem could be addressed by Chad's excellent acting skills. As the phone rang a few times, he rolled his eyes at the action by the front door. Rob had just given Trish a peck on her cheek. Something had definitely happened in her bedroom earlier. She followed him outside, perhaps heading to his camp for a more private rendezvous. Tommy stuck the tip of his finger through his open mouth, pretending to gag as he watched them from his chair.

The phone stopped ringing, but there was no answer on the other end. Not even a grunt. Jason must’ve pressed buttons at random and ended the call. That had to be the reason. He had to be at home. Where else could he be? There had been plenty of opportunities for him to sneak into the cabin during that six-hour period.

It was pointless to try calling again, and with this new knowledge of Jason’s whereabouts, Chad didn’t feel like wasting time having a fake conversation with a dial tone. He hung up the phone and walked to the counter. Grabbing a nearby pen, he wrote the mobile number on the folded newspaper.

“Can you let me know if the cops come looking for me while I’m away?”

Tommy nodded. “Sure.” He didn’t ask about the fact that Chad hadn’t gotten in touch with anyone on the phone.

“Just don’t give my number to anyone else, especially Rob. The last thing I need is another interrogation.” Chad strode to the front door, raising a hand as he passed Tommy. “Thanks again for showing me your masks.” He looked at Tracy, who’d resumed knitting on the couch. “And thanks again for your hospitality.”

“Come visit anytime,” she replied. “I’m sure we’ll see you again. Trish and I go for jogs around the lake every morning.”

“Bye Chad,” Tommy said forlornly.

Chad didn’t look behind him, fearing the disappointed expression on Tommy’s face. That sleepover wasn’t happening. “Bye.”

As he stepped outside and closed the door, he heard Tracy ask Tommy to start getting ready for bed. The sky had darkened considerably in the past ten minutes, turning a deep blue color with a scattering of stars. This section didn’t have any lampposts, but he was getting used to being in the dark because of his experiences this past week. He also had nothing to fear from the man who lurked in the shadows of Crystal Lake. Bears, on the other hand, would scare the hell out of him.

Pausing on the porch, he scanned the area for wildlife. He’d had the misfortune of encountering a bear during a camping trip with the counselors, and Kenny had warned everyone not to run. That action would trigger the predatory instinct to chase, and while Chad was fast, he didn’t relish the thought of running out of stamina and getting munched. Thankfully, the only sound was the chirping of crickets, but something bigger could be prowling around.

The vacation house was strangely quiet, suggesting that the party had been postponed. Dorf’s arrival might’ve spooked the group. It wouldn’t be a party without drugs and underage drinking. All of the lights were on, and silhouettes could be seen through the living room shutters. They were alive. For now at least.

Chad took the same trail as before, traveling at a light jog. Unlike his expectations, Rob wasn’t waiting at the cabin to demand more answers about his connection with Jason. That didn’t mean Rob wouldn’t snoop inside later, but he wouldn’t find anything except for a BDSM collar, a broken watch, clothes, and food. Everything was working out great.

The drive to Camp Crystal Lake was short and uneventful. Without the bikers to hound him at the convenience store, he’d debated stopping there to pick up gas, fresh cleaning supplies, and spare light bulbs to replace the burnt one in the bathroom, but he decided to save that for tomorrow. He had to see if Jason was at home. His heart was heavy with loneliness, and he needed the special comfort that could only be found in Jason’s arms.

Contrary to what Trish had said, the police didn’t seem to be patrolling this end. Their efforts were focused to the north between Higgins Haven and the Jarvis House. Rather than take the risk of using the path within the camp itself, Chad used the other route from the main road. It was still treacherous because of the darkness, and despite his eagerness to get home, he had to drive carefully. This reunion would be finished before it started if he smashed into a tree.

As home came into view, he honked the horn to announce his arrival. The bedroom curtains parted and a tall form appeared, the white hockey mask gleaming in the little light that remained outside. The sight caused his heart to soar. Parking in the middle of the yard, he rushed out of the car and ran to the house. Heavy footsteps pounded down the hallway, and the door flew open. Strong arms encircled his back, crushing him against a broad chest.

“I’m home,” he whispered.


	5. Reunion

The thick arms held Chad in a strong embrace, as if he would disappear if they let go, and he clung to Jason just as tightly. The bright blue eyes were closed in contentment. Although it had only been twenty-four hours, which was less than the waiting period after his night at Packanack, Chad couldn’t stop the tears from trickling down his face. They were silent and born from the weight of everything suddenly crashing down on him. Last night had been hell, but being home and finally reuniting with his lover was like being treated to a slice of heaven. In this tiny corner of the world, he would always feel safe.

He breathed deeply, inhaling the familiar scent of damp earth and pine trees, along with something else. Fruity bubble bath. Jason had washed his clothes to eliminate any remaining traces of hay and blood. He’d also ironed out the wrinkles to transform the clothes from their prune state, and he was wearing his spare hockey mask he’d taken from Shelly. His boots were spotless except for a few creases in the leather. He’d dressed to impress, and it made Chad wonder what other surprises awaited him.

“We better get inside before another spider horde moves in.”

Grasping Chad’s left hand gently, Jason turned around and led him inside. He flicked the light switch, illuminating the long hallway, and Chad closed the door and locked it. Not a single spider was in sight, and the floors had been cleaned of the plaster pieces that had crumbled from the walls over the years. The elegant wall sconces had been dusted and polished, and several paintings of the lake were hanging between them. Jason continued to stand beside him, hoping Chad would notice these changes.

“Looks a lot better in here. Great job.”

Jason’s chest swelled with pride and he blinked slowly, basking in the praise as he gazed at Chad. This man could melt a heart and bring a smile to a face without even trying. Although Chad liked to believe it had been fate that brought them together, sometimes he still questioned how he could’ve been so lucky to have encountered Jason on that night. It was almost too good to be true to have found a friend and lover like Jason. Perhaps all of this was only a dream. At any moment, he would awaken and find himself at the mansion, living a life that followed the same routine, and being surrounded by fancy things that had no purpose beyond the showcase of wealth.

These changes had been made from a strong desire to please, and that was what made them so special. Jason wasn’t the type to care about fancy things or house upkeep, as he’d spent the last five years living in a derelict shack. He knew Chad was used to comfort and beauty, and he was trying to restore this house to its former glory. Chad didn’t want to crush those hopes by telling Jason that he no longer cared about his old luxurious life, so he was content to feed Jason’s desire.

Jason led him down the left hallway to the ritual room. Moonlight filtered through the large window in front, eliminating the need to turn the chandelier on. Aside from the peeling floral wallpaper and heavily-scratched floor, this area was also spotless. The bloodstained bondage table was gone, replaced by a rustic one that reminded Chad of the dining table in the Packanack kitchen. The chains hadn’t been re-added, which was a deliberate choice by Jason. He released Chad’s hand and ran his fingertips over the bruises, careful not to scratch him with the long black nails that had seemingly grown overnight. His eyes narrowed and his hands balled into fists as he looked away, staring at the table.

“It hurts to swallow, but I’m fine otherwise.” Chad pointed at the ritual books on the smaller table. “More importantly, please tell me you put the books there this time and they didn’t just float.”

Jason’s hands relaxed, but anger was still brewing in his eyes. He nodded, confirming that he’d placed the books onto the table. Chad walked towards it and looked into the alcove to the right. A thin sheet of wood was covering the basement hole to replace the garbage bag that had previously been there.

“Good idea. Now we won’t have any rats scurrying up the ladder and getting into the rest of the house." Assuming they didn't simply chew their way in. These walls had to be home to more than a single rat family, given the many years of neglect. The day he awakened to a nasty rat crawling on him would be the day he would probably die from a heart attack. That or a hairy spider of the tarantula variety.

Chad turned to the double doors leading to the kitchen and entered it, followed by Jason. Not much had changed, as he’d already cleaned it thoroughly on the day when he and Jason had been settling in after the move from the mansion. It did look even cleaner though, with not a dust speck in sight. A new bag was inside the trash can, and a fragrant bouquet of a dozen pink roses, likely stolen from someone’s garden, stood in a vase on the center of the table. There was also a plate of five unidentifiable black things, shaped like big tennis balls. He got closer to them and sniffed, wincing at the charred scent. A faint smell of smoke lingered in the kitchen, and the window above the sink was open the whole way.

“The roses are beautiful. But uh... what are these?”

Jason jogged to the counter and rifled through a drawer. He pulled out a recipe book and brought it to the table, setting it down there. It was yellowed with age and had pictures of cakes, cookies, and pies on the cover. He flipped to a page of chocolate chip cookies and pointed at them. This couldn't be a coincidence. Jason must’ve been at the Jarvis House when Tracy had been making the cookies or when Chad had snacked on them.

“You made these for me?”

Jason nodded and grabbed a cookie. Chad’s hand trembled as he did the same. The thing was huge and as hard as a rock. He never would’ve guessed it was a chocolate chip cookie. More like a piece of coal, and this surely wouldn’t be safe to eat. Jason was looking at him expectantly, waiting so Chad could have the pleasure of having the first taste test. The smell alone was almost enough to make him gag, and the pizza was doing somersaults in his stomach.

Chad lifted the cookie to his mouth and licked it with the tip of his tongue. The cookie fell from his grasp and bounced on the table, leaving black residue as he succumbed to a gagging fit. Gripping the chair for balance, he bowed his head, tears streaming from his eyes. Jason placed his cookie onto the plate and patted Chad’s back gently with his other hand until the gags ceased.

“Thanks.” Chad wiped his sleeve over his eyes. He grabbed the plate of cookies, if he could even call them that, and emptied them into the trash can. “It was sweet of you, but we’ll get sick if we eat them.” And break teeth in the process.

He brought the plate to the sink and washed the soot off his hand while Jason stood beside him, hunching his back dejectedly. When Chad was finished, Jason washed his hands too. Jason was lucky he hadn’t burned the house down. Pamela wouldn’t have taught him to use the stove, and without a working clock in the kitchen, there would’ve been no way for Jason to know how long the cookies had been inside the oven. He’d likely gotten distracted by other things and had been drawn by the smell of smoke.

“I’ll teach you how to use the stove tomorrow. Do you want anything to eat?”

Jason nodded, then shook his head. He wanted Chad to see the rest of the house first.

“All right. Lead the way.”

Jason took Chad's hand and led him down the hallway to the living room, striding with excitement of showing more of his great work. Like the other rooms, it was much cleaner. The old television had been disposed of and the new one had been plugged in. The unopened VCR and Atari boxes were on the floor in front of it, and the movies and video games were neatly stacked on the coffee table. Two had been put aside: Frogger for the Atari and a Ghostbusters VHS.

A few other things were different. The rug wasn’t a tangled mess of white fur anymore, the furniture had been vacuumed, and two carved wooden ducks from Packanack were resting on either side of the mantelpiece. The paintings on the walls were clear of dust, depicting floral arrangements and forest scenes.

“You were really busy today. I was wondering where you were.”

Jason stared at the floor, looking guilty from not making his presence known earlier. He hadn’t done these things solely because of a desire to please. His clean appearance, the cookies, the house cleaning... everything was pointing to jealousy as another cause.

Chad squeezed his hand gently. “It’s okay. I knew you were alive when I heard that you left the morgue. Even before that. Last night, you promised me you’d wake up.” He took a deep breath and let it out shakily. “But I was lonely without you.”

Jason’s eyes twinkled with mischief as he moved his hand to Chad’s ass and gave it a firm squeeze, drawing a wide grin. Despite what Jason had also gone through, he was his same old self, and that was comforting. If he was still under the effects of the rage, he was doing a good job of hiding it. Rather than risk ruining the mood by asking Jason outright, Chad was satisfied with letting time take its course. The answer would make itself clear soon enough.

“Let’s go see the rest of the house.”

Hand in hand, they walked into the hallway and to the back door, which had a poster of various bird species beside it. Jason opened the door and pointed at the empty bag of grass seed near the chicken coop. The ground was damp, suggesting that Jason had already spread the seeds and watered them to begin the rejuvenation process of the backyard. The chickens were inside their shelter and undoubtedly had lots of food and water. He wouldn’t have forgotten about them.

A stone birdbath stood in the middle of the yard. It caused Chad’s stomach to flip, but he forced a smile. “Now we can watch the birds play, and when the grass is finished growing, we can have a picnic.”

Jason was perceptive enough to notice the forced nature of the smile, and he briefly looked down in disappointment. Chad leaned his head against Jason's arm, his smile fading as he stared at the birdbath. It wasn’t Kenny’s death in itself that was upsetting, but the brutal manner in which he’d died. Although the sight stirred gory memories, he didn’t want Jason to think the gesture wasn’t appreciated.

“Sorry. The bath reminds me of Kenny, the guy in the red plaid shirt. I’ll get over it once I see the birds having fun.”

Jason shut the door and locked it. The upper floor was the next destination, and he ascended the stairs slowly so Chad wouldn't trip. There seemed to be nothing he wanted to reveal in Pamela’s bedroom or his old room. He continued past them and stopped outside his new bedroom, releasing Chad's hand there.

Chad turned the light on. This room had experienced the most drastic of changes. A short wooden chest stood beside the dresser, and everything on the floor had been packed away. He opened a few drawers, discovering that the girly clothes had been sorted and folded. Their arrangement was a bit sloppy, but the cute gesture made him smile nonetheless. The maid costume was in there thankfully. Jason was going to spare him the humiliation of wearing it, at least for tonight.

White tealight candles decorated the top of the dresser, arranged in the shape of a heart, and they were accompanied by a pack of matches. The full-length mirror had been moved to the bed’s footboard, and its questionable positioning was met with an arched eyebrow. Then realization dawned, causing Chad to blush. No toys had been set out to play with, but the mirror was going to play a role in the fun at some point. A sideways ass squeeze from Jason confirmed that.

Along with the many bottles of lube and massage oils on the nightstand, the two speedos were lying there, the black on the blue. It made Chad remember his tiger-striped speedo that had been in Jason’s pocket.

“Do you still have my striped speedo?”

Jason shook his head, his hands curling into fists again. Someone had taken the speedo from him. He pointed at the weapon rack beside the bed. His axe was also missing, creating an empty space between the pickaxe and pig splitter. The hockey mask with the axe slice was hanging from the nail at the top.

“What else did you take with you? Just the granola bars and med spray, right?”

The subsequent head shake sent Chad’s heartbeat through the roof. He hadn’t seen Jason pocket anything else while getting ready for Higgins Haven, but Jason had gotten down the stairs and into the kitchen ahead of him. And what had been on the kitchen table last night? The pad of paper that Jason had used to communicate.

“The notepad... did you take that with you too?”

Jason nodded. No wonder Roy had been smirking. He must’ve emptied Jason’s pockets while everyone had been distracted. It wasn’t only Jason’s identity that Roy knew about. Thanks to the dirty talk, he was now aware of the relationship with Jason.

“Oh god...” Chad’s face turned red as he leaned against the dresser, gripping the front edge for support. The pain in his hand went unnoticed, overpowered by the mortification of Roy reading those lines about his love for big cocks, getting filled, and other delightful things.

Jason jogged out of the bedroom and opened a door down the hallway. He returned with a yellowed sheet of paper and a pencil, setting them on the dresser to write.

_I woke up and my stuff was gone. Even my snacks. Did you see who stole them?_

“No. When I woke up, I didn’t think to empty your pockets before the cops arrived. By the time I remembered, it was too late.”

Chad swallowed hard and rubbed his stomach, forcing back the rising sickness. He didn’t know anything about Roy, as he’d only seen him on one occasion, but he had a feeling that Roy wouldn’t share anything he’d found. Roy could’ve left the items in Jason’s pocket, yet he’d chosen to remove them. Unless someone else had removed them after Jason’s arrival at the morgue... that would be even worse. No, that couldn’t be it. Otherwise Dorf would’ve mentioned those things during the interrogation.

“Everything will be fine. I’ll buy another speedo, and we have tons of snacks in the pantry.”

_But I wrote your name and that you love my big cock._

Despite the nerve-wracking circumstances, Chad chuckled at Jason's saucer eyes. “That’s true. I love you and your big cock.”

_I want your speedo, not a different one. And I found my axe on the night we met._

“If we’re lucky, whoever took the items will return them. Corruption can be found anywhere, even in the police force. Maybe they did it to protect us.”

Jason placed the pencil onto the paper. He stared at them, his eyes narrowing with concentration as he devised his own theories of what might’ve happened. Had he encountered Roy at Packanack when he’d guarded his shack from the police operation? Whatever had occurred, Chad could only hope the items wouldn’t end up in an evidence bag. He prided himself on his ability to explain his way out of bad situations, but no explanation could account for those notes, unless he dismissed the masked man as a crazy admirer.

“Enough worrying. Are you ready to have something to eat?”

The gurgling stomach provided the answer. After pocketing the pencil and paper, Jason followed him downstairs to the kitchen, offering a reassuring hand on Chad's arm as guidance through the darkness. The room was illuminated by a soft yellow glow as Chad turned the light on, activating the two wall sconces by the double doors. One of the bulbs fizzled while the other started to flicker rapidly. Considering how ancient this house was, it should’ve already gone up in flames from an electrical fire. The window above the sink and the one in the ritual room provided enough natural light to work with, plus there was the light from the hallway, so he flicked the switch off.

Jason was already at the fridge before Chad could ask him what he wanted to eat. He pulled out a pepperoni pizza from the freezer, along with a shiny round pan from inside the oven, and set them onto the counter. It was a good thing he hadn’t tried to cook the pizza too, as he probably would’ve left the plastic and cardboard on. He jogged to the table and sat on a chair, gripping his thighs to prevent the excited drumming of his hands. His hockey mask still hadn’t been removed, but Chad didn’t question it. He suspected that the axe strike could’ve caused nerve damage and affected Jason’s appearance, making him feel self-conscious. This was the potato sack situation all over again, and the only cure was reassurance.

That matter would be addressed when it arose. Chad walked to the counter, fully aware that Jason’s gaze had traveled from the pizza box to his ass. Comfort would definitely be sought tonight. Smiling to himself, he unpackaged the pizza, placed it onto the pan, and slid it into the oven. Fifteen minutes and it would be ready. He would’ve liked to cook something more nutritious, but he wasn’t about to deny Jason what he wanted.

His own stomach still felt a bit fluttery, so food wasn’t on the menu for him. Someone out there, most likely Roy, knew about his love for Jason. But that wasn’t the only reason. The nervous feeling always accompanied the knowledge that he was going to get fucked with a twelve inch cock, even though he welcomed the experience. He poured two tall glasses of water, his hands trembling slightly from the different sort of hunger being directed his way. If there was one thing Jason lacked, it was subtlety when it came to those cravings. The blue gaze followed Chad like a hawk as he brought the glasses to the table and sat across from Jason.

“I heard you jogging through the woods this morning when I was with those people. They drove me to the Jarvis House after I ditched the cop who was with me. I couldn’t tell the cops about our home, so I had to rent a cabin and pretend I’m staying there.”

Jason pulled the pencil and paper out of his pocket and set them in front of him. He leaned his elbows on the table and clasped his hands, listening intently. The perverted thoughts running through his mind were pushed aside. It was a random time to be discussing these matters, but Chad wanted to prepare for anything. At least Jason would have an advance warning.

“If we get a phone call, it’s because the cops are looking for me. I’ll have to go back there and let them ask more questions. They told me not to go anywhere.” Dorf was being less of an asshole than he’d been initially, so Chad didn’t mention him. That could easily change in the future if the douchiness made a reappearance.

Jason’s knuckles turned white from the force of his grip. He snorted softly, as if to say that he could tag along and simply eradicate the cops, preventing them from causing trouble.

Chad sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair, inadvertently attracting Jason’s attention to the bandage. “I wish it was that simple. Disappearing cops would bring more cops.”

Jason unclasped his hands and reached across the table, gently covering Chad’s injured hand with his own. He simultaneously drew a line across his throat. Things would work out, even if that meant leaving a trail of bodies behind.

“You’re right. We just need to have hope, no matter what happens. I won’t give up and let them ruin what we’ve built here.”

Chad took a long sip of water, the coolness easing his sore throat. If only he could stay here, grow and hunt the food that was needed to survive, conjure gas for the generator, and never have to show himself. That was a far easier solution than facing the judgment outside the safety of this forest. There would be no end to the pointing fingers, and if word got out that he was involved with the legend of Crystal Lake, the puzzle pieces of why he’d survived both massacres would start to fit together. This home would no longer be a haven, assuming the cops knew about its location.

He put his empty glass down and rested his chin on his hand. “Did your mother ever get any visitors? Cops, friends...”

Jason nodded once. He raised a hand beside him, indicating the height he’d been as a little boy, then pointed a thumb over his shoulder. Pamela had hired babysitters, but they hadn’t lasted long in their jobs.

“Just babysitters? That’s good news. So the Voorhees family wasn’t on the cops’ radar until after your mother’s revenge, and I guess they never found this place. It would be their first stop if they suspected you were still alive.”

Jason’s eyes narrowed again, and he lifted his hand off Chad’s so it wouldn’t turn into a pile of flesh and crushed bones. He rested both of them flat on the table. The trembles ceased after a few deep breaths, and his eyes returned to a neutral expression. Chad mentally cursed himself for his carelessness. He should’ve known that mentioning the possibility of intruders would get Jason riled up.

“I doubt they’d ever find our home. We’re deep in the forest, and the only tire tracks I saw are from the other vehicle I was using.” Chad didn’t reference the van specifically, knowing it would stir Jason’s memories of Chris’ escape.

Jason stared at the table. This wasn’t turning out to be the most romantic reunion. As much as Chad wanted to forget about his troubles, they were impossible not to think about. There was still a long way to go until the bright future was reached, and it was his own fault. He was the one who’d suggested meeting Jason at Higgins Haven, and he’d also led Jason to a place that was ripe with prime targets. In the event of another massacre, Jason couldn’t be to blame for following Pamela’s orders. Chad had experienced his fair share of being nagged by his mom, but having a voice in his head would’ve driven him nuts a long time ago. He would do anything to get rid of it.

The sudden scent of crispy pizza made Chad jump in surprise and whirl around to the oven. He turned it off and opened the door, sighing in relief upon discovering that the crust was golden. Grabbing the oven mitt that Jason had used for the cookies, he slid it on his left hand and bent over to remove the pan. He didn’t have to glance over his shoulder to know that Jason’s attention was back on his ass. Bending over was a surefire way of drawing Jason out of negativity.

Chad set the pan onto the stove. The utensil holder contained every kind of kitchen gadget imaginable from the looting at the mansion. He grabbed the pizza cutter and divided it into six pieces, then brought the pan to the table. Knowing Jason’s appetite, he would probably want the whole thing, and Chad hadn’t seen any snack wrappers in the trash can or missing food in the fridge. It appeared that Jason had deprived himself of food in favor of having a home-cooked meal, even if it came from a box.

Jason gripped the bottom of his mask as Chad stood beside the chair across from him. He kept his hand there for a few seconds, his eyes flicking around with uncertainty. Not even Chad’s gentle smile was enough to reassure him.

“It’s okay. You’ll be the handsome guy I remember.”

Jason lifted his mask up, only exposing his mouth. His lips, which had always been a bit misshapen, were now slightly quirked up on the side where he’d suffered the axe strike. His skin also looked more wrinkled on that side, but his teeth were the same. They weren’t protruding at odd angles. What was he so worried about?

“I was right. You're still as handsome as ever.”

Chad turned his back to Jason, not wanting him to feel pressured into removing the mask. He walked to the fridge and grabbed the package of strawberries and the can of whipped cream. Jason would likely be hoping for a piece of vanilla cake for dessert, but if he hadn’t eaten anything all day, getting some fruit into his diet would be the more healthy option.

He rinsed the strawberries carefully, placed them onto the cutting board in neat rows, and chopped the stems off while Jason feasted on the pizza. As he opened the cupboards in search of a bowl, it was revealed that Jason had even washed the dust off the dishes, dried them, and put them away. They were pristine white and decorated with pink roses along the borders. That was something Chad hadn’t paid attention to. His mom and Pamela had more in common than he’d initially thought with their color schemes.

Retrieving a bowl, he set it onto the counter and emptied the strawberries into it. The silverware was from the mansion, so it was also in perfect condition. He put a fork into the bowl and topped the strawberries with a tall mound of whipped cream, smiling as he remembered the experience in the Packanack kitchen. Jason had wanted him to sit on his lap, and that had turned into session number five for the night. Sitting on Jason’s lap, especially after twenty-four hours of not seeing each other, would definitely result in something dangerous.

Jason was already finished with the entire pizza when Chad brought the bowl to the table. To Chad’s dismay, the mask was back on. Jason lifted it up partway and held it up as he grabbed the fork with his other hand. The strawberries disappeared in a blur until two remained, and then the mask was lowered. Jason’s self-consciousness was more deep than Chad had imagined, and it broke his heart to see him like this.

“You would never be ugly to me, even if you had green skin and no teeth. That’s what love does to people. We see things that others can’t.”

The words gave Jason the reassurance he needed to remove the mask. He placed it beside the bowl and looked at Chad’s face for a reaction, finding a soft smile. This was the same man Chad remembered. Nothing remained of the axe wound except for a jagged scar, and though Jason's skin tone was paler, the differences weren't drastic enough to make him unrecognizable. Chad's smile was answered with a hesitant one, followed by a twinkling of eyes as Jason stood up and pulled his chair back slightly. He sat down again and patted his lap, still gripping the fork.

“I don’t know if this is a good idea, but...” Chad took slow steps to the chair and stared at Jason’s bulge, watching for any signs of activity. There were none. He straddled him, avoiding the bulge like the plague while trying to prevent himself from chuckling at the familiarity of this scenario.

Jason’s smile widened as he speared a strawberry and held it in front of Chad’s mouth. Chad opened it, letting out a soft moan of pleasure as he pulled the strawberry off and chewed it. The taste was so heavenly that he couldn’t stop the sound from escaping him. The smile disappeared, turning into slightly-parted lips as Jason watched him closely. Jason offered the last strawberry, and Chad accepted it. The fork was put into the bowl as Chad swiped his tongue over the traces of juice on his mouth.

In an act of boldness that surprised even himself, Chad moved closer. He looked up, finding it impossible not to get lost in the blue eyes that were now simmering with a need for something else. Rose tinged his cheeks. The penetrating gaze left him feeling exposed, as if every secret and desire were being drawn to the surface. The heat-filled eyes flicked down, settling on his growing hardness, and his heartbeat intensified. They met his gaze again, and he barely had the nerve to ask the question. It came out as a breathless whisper.

“Is there anything else you want?”

Words were scribbled on the paper. Large hands gripped his hips possessively, pressing him down on the warm, twitching length beneath the layer of fabric. If clothes could be removed through sheer force of will, he could satisfy this craving in an instant. He reached around Jason, slowly sliding his hands along the broad expanse of muscles.

Jason leaned forward, his hot breath whispering against Chad’s ear. The deep chuckle was full of understanding of this need to be claimed, to be filled until Jason’s essence was the only thing Chad knew. As he turned his head to read the words on the paper, a shiver of anticipation ran through him.

_Knot you._


	6. Claimed

Jason’s little mate trembled against him, but not out of fear. This was a need, desperate to be satisfied. Tonight, Chad would be claimed so completely that the other men would become a distant memory. Although the memories of the trauma he’d endured wouldn’t disappear, much like Jason’s memories of being taunted and shunned, Chad could find comfort and pleasure in the arms of a boy who loved him very much. Jason would do anything to make him happy and atone for his mistakes. Cook more tasty food, shower Chad with pretty things, jog to the end of the world and back, kill and die for him.

This need was for something far different. Jason slid his hand from a slender hip and gently rubbed the tent in Chad’s pants. The trembles strengthened as Chad moved even closer, pressing against his hand and letting out a soft whimper. It was a sweet sound that turned his cheeks more rosy, and he buried his face in Jason’s shirt, clinging to him tightly. Chad was the cutest boy in the world, and Jason longed to hear him whimper again. His wish was granted as he continued to caress, applying the slightest amount of pressure until Chad looked up, eyes wide and pleading.

“Please... take me upstairs.”

Hearing the raspy voice drove a spear through Jason’s heart. His hands dangled at his sides and his cock began to soften. Even in the darkness and haze of red, the bruises on Chad’s neck were as clear as day, and purple was developing on his cheek. The injuries reminded Jason of his failures. Why was he thinking of claiming Chad so soon? Sex was always painful for such a small boy, and Chad had to be sore after what the men had done. What if he bled or cried? Above everything else, maybe he needed time to rest and heal.

Chad lifted a hand to the side of Jason’s face, the gold band shining in the moonlight. “It’s okay. We’ll take it slow.” He was still hard, and his eyes shone with sincerity from a gentle smile. “Please. I want this.”

Jason scooped Chad into his arms, supporting him with one under his ass and the other around his back. Slender legs encircled his waist, and a cheek pressed against his shoulder as he carried Chad out of the kitchen. The dick and ass were slightly out of reach of his cock, so it wasn’t reawakening yet, but that would change with a nice bath or shower before the real fun. He moved his arm from Chad’s back to flick the hallway lights off, casting the lower floor in darkness, and continued up the stairs. Mother’s door had been closed earlier. He’d warned her to stay quiet because he had to take care of his injured boy, and she hadn’t said anything since Chad’s arrival.

He brought Chad to the bathroom and set him down gently. The light bulb hadn’t been replaced, so Jason had made another heart with candles on the side of the counter closest to the tub. He picked up the package of matches and struck one of them, creating a bright flame. While Chad got undressed beside him at the sink, Jason lit the candles. They illuminated Chad’s body in a golden glow, and he gasped as he looked into the mirror.

“My hair... god.”

Chad’s hands flew up, attempting to tame the wildness. It was flat at the back and spiky on top, reminding Jason of a chicken’s crest. Chad was still cute, but this was the worst his hair had been over the past week. Jason’s mouth twitched as he turned to the tub. He sat on the edge and began to run the water, which was the usual brown color.

Today, he’d worked hard to clean the house and add pretty decorations that would make Chad happy, but many things were left to do. The floors were dangerous, and if Chad fell through when Jason wasn’t home, he would hurt himself. Stairs to the basement had to be built so there would always be a way back up. The walls were crumbling, and rats could poke their heads through and scare Chad, or sneak into the kitchen and eat all of the food. Chad was getting braver, but the lights needed to be fixed because he couldn’t see in the dark. The stove had burned the cookies and ruined his treat. Lots of spiders lived in the vines on the outside of the house, and if the vines weren’t trimmed, the spiders could skitter inside and munch him while he was sleeping. Another big problem was the water. It either smelled like rotten eggs or took a long time to get clear, and cleanliness was very important for him.

Chad sighed and lowered his hands. His dick had gone to sleep during the several minutes he’d spent trying to fix his hair. “This is pointless. I need a shower. Don’t care if the bandage gets wet.”

Jason stood up and activated the shower, adjusting the temperature until it was slightly warm. The summer nights were becoming hotter, and without any windows in the bathroom, it was easy to overheat. He started to unbutton his shirt, sweat trickling down his chest. Chad stepped inside the tub and pulled the curtain closed, leaving a sliver of space at the front for light to pass through. Jason had already taken a shower so he could smell nice for Chad, but bathing was always more fun with two people. He slid his shirt off and dropped it at his feet, then quickly followed up with the rest of his clothing. There was no need to put on a show when his audience was a curtain.

He entered the tub and stood behind Chad, watching him lather his hair with fruity shampoo. His gaze drifted down, sighting the large bruise on Chad’s left hip. Loco had done this. He’d forced Chad to the floor like a depraved beast and treated him like a simple tool for pleasure. Jason had done something similar, but through different methods. Chad had forgiven him, and with time, maybe Jason would be able to forgive himself.

His gaze shifted lower, focusing on the round ass, and his cock began to awaken at the thought of claiming his mate. Which position should be tried this time? It had to be a position that allowed Chad to watch himself be taken, but one that wasn’t too restrictive. Otherwise it would cause him to remember being attacked by the bad men.

Maybe Chad could sit on Jason’s lap, facing the mirror. Chad would take the thick length up to the knot, slowly so he wouldn’t feel much pain. If he was a good boy, he might get to ride it until Jason was ready to fill him. Once the knot was inside and Chad took all of him, it wouldn’t come out, even if he begged. The pain of removing it would exceed everything else. His ass would be so full of cum that he could feel the load in his belly, making him squirm from the sensation of being owned. Nothing would remain of the other men.

Jason stepped closer, letting his cock slide along Chad’s back, trapped between them. As his hand wandered over the muscled abdomen, the hair washing was abandoned. Chad leaned his head against Jason’s chest, already starting to breathe a bit faster. The smooth legs trembled and one of them lifted onto the side of the tub. A smaller hand grabbed his own, guiding it down. Chad was being a greedy boy yet again, silently asking to be filled and stroked, his cute dick jutting out from his stomach.

Curling his fingers around it carefully, Jason gave it a light squeeze while his other hand slid between Chad’s legs from behind. The long nails were going to be a problem, capable of cutting his boy. He circled the pad of his thumb over the tight hole, feeling its heat, longing to pull the curtain back so he could watch the flickering flames dance across the trembling body. Chad gripped his raised thigh and pressed his bandaged hand against the wall, making more of the sweet whimpers as Jason squeezed him again. If Chad wasn’t so short, he could have a taste of what he wanted.

Perhaps he still could. Jason bent his knees slightly, lowering himself until the slick tip brushed over Chad’s needy place. Big things shouldn’t be shoved into tiny bodies without consent and preparation, but it was a constant test of willpower when this beautiful boy was on display. It would be easy to satisfy this need in a heartbeat, sheath himself fully, and feel the heat clamp around him. But if Jason did that, he would be worse than the two beasts. This trust would shatter and never be rebuilt. No matter how tempting the treat, he couldn’t put his own pleasure first. For now, he was satisfied with teasing his little Chad with gentle squeezes and feathery brushes, watching him become undone, and listening to him pant.

“The water's getting cold... let me finish washing up. Please.”

Chad was saying that, but his legs were still spread and his body was starting to sway with the tickles over his hole. Noticing this, he quickly lowered his leg and grabbed a bottle of conditioner, struggling to squeeze it because of the injury. Jason took it from him and squeezed a blob into his palm. He put the bottle back and massaged Chad’s head, weaving his fingers through the silky strands. Once again, his cock was trapped, aching for attention as it slid along the soft skin. Chad was also growing impatient. His hand movements were fast as he lathered himself with gel, cleaning every inch of skin he could reach.

Jason finished rinsing the conditioner out of Chad’s hair and stepped back, letting Chad access his lower body properly. Raising his leg on the edge of the tub, Chad slipped a hand between his thighs. A slender finger prodded at his hole, slowly pushing inside. With a half-smile, he looked over his shoulder, his eyelids heavy as he worked himself open. He was being a bad boy by sharing some of the teasing, and Jason’s cock twitched with interest, wanting what it couldn’t have yet. Watching Chad touch himself was one of the most arousing sights, but Jason had other things to do. The bedroom candles had to be lit and the toys had to be chosen.

Pulling the curtain partly back, he stepped out and gave Chad’s ass a light smack, telling him that bad boys would get punished. The punishment wouldn’t be severe, but Chad had to learn that teasing had limits. Only one boy was in charge.

“I can’t wait.”

Chad turned his head to the front of the tub, trying to hide his satisfied smile, but Jason knew it was there. The finger continued to tease, sliding in and out at a slow pace, joined by the occasional quiet moan. Water cascaded down the arched back and curvy ass, tempting Jason to re-enter the tub, stand behind Chad, and pull him onto the entire length. Then he could watch the violent trembles, the sight of his big dick reappearing and disappearing, the cum sliding out in thick streams. Listen to the whimpers and begs for more or mercy. Taste the soft skin of Chad’s neck, where he’d marked his mate. Smell his boy’s deliciously sweet scent. Feel the tight inner walls pulse around him.

Jason looked away and strode to the cabinet, yanking the door open. He grabbed a towel and quickly dried himself. Staying in the bathroom was too dangerous. It was amazing how his cock could be dripping and twitching by thoughts alone. He had to control himself or something bad would happen. But maybe it wouldn’t be bad. Maybe Chad wanted the memories of the men to be stolen through a rough claiming. No, he’d said to take things slow. He was just being a naughty, teasing boy.

A boy who was going to get knotted and forced to accept everything Jason gave him. Jason hung the towel on the rack and jogged into the dark hallway, heading to the bedroom. As he turned the light off, the room was cast in darkness except for slivers of moonlight that beamed through the two windows. It was a half moon tonight. On the night when he’d met Chad, the moon had been round and full, and it wouldn’t return for another month. The moon phases had helped Jason keep track of the days when everything seemed to blend together. Wake up, look for counselors, eat bland food, and go to sleep. He’d been a boy with no purpose beyond killing.

_“You were making Mommy proud. Is that not a good purpose?”_

He struck the match and lit the candles on the dresser, then blew the flame out and set the stick down. The fire danced and illuminated the black and white photo behind it. A week ago, he would’ve told Mother that killing and making her proud were the only purposes he needed. The answer was different now, and he didn’t share it, choosing to ignore her question. He loved Mother, but she was dead. When he’d found someone else to love, everything had changed. He’d started to live for his special boy so he could see the smiles and hear the laughter. Before he’d met Chad, when was the last time Jason had smiled?

It hadn’t been on the day when he’d awakened from the lake, nor on the day when he’d avenged Mother. His awakening had been scary because of the suddenness and the worms in the mirror. Killing Alice had been a simple act of revenge that had brought him satisfaction but not happiness. The last smile had been on his birthday, decades ago. Mother had bought him the slinky, Play-Doh, and Potato Heads to replace his broken toys. He’d been big for his age, still learning to control his strength. He’d only been able to play with the new toys for a few hours before the water had swallowed him.

Where there was a will, there was a way. Boys could be anyone or do anything they wanted if they tried hard enough, even when the world was against them, trying to take what little self-esteem they still had. Mother’s words had unintentionally fed his desire to prove himself, and on that day, he’d taken his last breath.

Those were the memories that hurt, but it was time to focus on the present. His cock was still aching for attention, and if he didn’t give it any, it might feel betrayed and not wake up for a while. A floppy cock wouldn’t be fun for Chad. Jason sidestepped to the toy chest and knelt in front of it. He lifted the lid and examined the contents for stuff Chad would like. Fake cocks would help stretch him for a larger and hotter cock, and the white cat ears would make him look even cuter. What about a fluffy tail? That might be too uncomfortable for him to wear after taking the knot, but he might like one of the rubber rings around his dick. He’d said it would make the orgasm more intense.

Jason collected a small cock and ring, the cat ears, and the sheath, placing them on his lap. The knot looked like an extra set of balls that wrapped around the shaft, positioned an inch from the base. Would it even fit inside a tiny ass? Of course it would. Chad could accept a huge cock, so a few more inches of thickness wouldn’t matter. His prostate would be massaged with each thrust and he would get addicted to the feeling, wanting to be taken like that every time.

Slippery stuff was also a necessity. Jason grabbed the items and brought them to the end of the bed, setting them on the flower blanket. He scanned the bottles on the nightstand, trying to decide which scent to pick. Vanilla was his favorite, but it might not mix well with fruit. Chad liked the cherry one, so Jason piled it with the rest of the items. Was he forgetting anything else? Maybe the window should be opened so Chad wouldn’t get too hot. Jason circled around the bed to the back wall and opened it fully. The screen would prevent bugs from pouring in and scaring Chad.

Peering through the curtains, Jason activated sense and checked for signs of movement. It was a calm night with no breeze. Not even the crickets were singing. In the past, wildlife had a tendency to avoid this area of the forest. Mother used to say it was because the house was haunted and animals could sense the ghosts’ presence, but she’d said and done a lot of other strange things too. She’d talked and written to herself after Jason had drowned, and she’d hidden something in the house, but he didn’t know where it was located. Her words had scared him sometimes when he’d been a ghost, and he’d spent his time drifting to different places so he wouldn’t have to hear her voice. That wasn’t an option now.

Light footsteps sounded down the hallway and entered the bedroom. The end of the bed creaked as Chad climbed on it, facing the mirror in a kneeling position with his hands on his thighs. His hair was in its usual style, free from the chicken’s crest and plastered wetness styles from before. The bandage had been removed and replaced with a fresh one.

“I saw the new first aid kit in the medicine cabinet.”

Jason nodded. He’d found the kit when he’d visited the lodge to bring the table, paintings, and wooden ducks home.

“I also blew out the candles so we don’t burn the house down.” Chad picked up the sheath and turned it over in his hands, examining the knot. “I don’t know if this is gonna fit, but we can try.” His voice was shaky and his cheeks were pink, but his body wasn’t glowing red. He put the sheath down and gripped his thighs, staring at them. His love for Jason’s cock was also accompanied by nervousness at the size.

Jason walked to the bed and settled behind him, his cock pressing tightly against Chad’s back. Even when they were both kneeling, Chad was much shorter, giving Jason a perfect view of him in the mirror. He was such a tiny boy. On the occasions when he’d wanted roughness, Jason had still been careful. This cock and this strength could split Chad in two. Rip him apart until nothing was left, and that was scary to imagine.

Petting the soft hair gingerly, Jason calmed both of their nerves, a faint smile appearing on Chad’s face. Jason lowered his hand and grabbed the cat ears, placing them onto Chad’s head. The little kitty blushed even more, looking at his cute reflection in the mirror, which was a foot away from him.

“I can’t... with the mirror. It’s too weird.”

He could and would. The mirror wasn’t going anywhere. Jason smiled and flipped the cap on the bottle of lubricant. He poured half the contents into his hand, then closed the cap and set the bottle aside. Reaching around Chad, he slid his hand along the hard dick from base to tip, coating it thoroughly. The pink color of the shaft matched the blushing cheeks. The velvety tip was slightly darker, and as Jason rubbed his thumb over it, he was treated to a sweet whimper. Chad pressed the back of his trembling hand to his mouth, keeping it there for a few seconds before bringing it to his lap again. His legs spread wider, their softness touching Jason’s inner thighs, and his slender hips inched forward, causing his dick to slide into the slick grasp.

Jason retracted his hand, still smiling as he pinched the rubber ring. He eased it over Chad’s slippery dick until it couldn’t go any further, tightly secured around the base. The pinkness deepened and the hip movements ceased as Chad looked down, biting his lip to prevent himself from begging for more friction. His dick was dripping wet, and not only from lubricant. Precum seeped from the tip, falling onto the blanket in a long, sticky strand, but relief wouldn’t come that soon.

Now for the sheath. Jason grabbed it and moved back, giving his cock enough room to breathe. He stroked himself a few times, covering the entire length with the leftover lubricant on his hand. Slowly sliding the sheath over his cock, he followed Chad’s instructions, barely fitting his balls through the loop. It was like wearing a second skin, nearly undetectable from the real thing aside from the huge knot. So tight that the pulsing veins of his cock were visible. If Chad could see the knot, he would faint from fright. It looked bigger when the sheath was being worn, almost half the width of his ass. Maybe it _was_ half.

“Does it fit okay? How does it look?”

Jason patted Chad’s shoulder. Everything would be all right. Where there was a will, there was a way. This huge cock would fit inside him without ripping him apart. Jason swallowed and continued to pat his shoulder as he gazed at the knot.

Chad looked behind him in slow motion, his eyes widening in horror as he turned into a ghost. “Jason, there’s no way. I’ll be ripped apart.” He squeezed his thighs together and sat straighter, unable to tear his eyes away from the knot.

Jason moved his hand to the knot and covered it. If Chad couldn’t see it, he wouldn’t get as scared.

Chad faced forward and grabbed the fake cock, offering it over his shoulder. The cock shook violently. “With a bit of stretching, maybe it won’t be so bad. The knot’s only about ten inches in girth.”

Jason accepted the cock, which was slightly longer and thicker than his finger. A bigger one should’ve been chosen. He lightly pressed his palm against the middle of Chad’s back, asking him to bend over, and the request was obeyed. Chad rested his forearms on the bed, his head bowed as he peered between his legs at the uncovered knot. His splayed knees were barely able to support him, wobbling and spread as far apart as they could go.

Sex shouldn’t be scary. Jason wanted to tell him, but he had to settle for dropping the cock in front of his own. Real cocks could be satisfied through other ways that didn’t involve pain. If Chad wanted to get up, nothing was stopping him.

Chad closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. When he opened them, the worry was gone as he looked into the mirror. “We’re not even at that part yet. I don’t know why I was freaking out.” He smiled upon getting a gentle two-handed ass squeeze.

Gripping the fake cock by its tiny balls, Jason drizzled lubricant over it, leaving slightly less than half for his real cock. He laid the bottle beside him and coated every crevice. Fake cocks were only useful for stretching or when a real one wasn’t available. This thing didn’t have the same texture or hot temperature, and it couldn’t throb and pump loads into greedy boys.

He pushed the tip against Chad’s hole using minimal pressure. A pained whimper was heard, and the blanket bunched up as Chad gripped it. A bit of pain was inevitable with something this small and tight, so Jason applied more force and the tip entered him. He paused, giving Chad time to adjust. After a few seconds, Chad nodded for him to continue. The rest slid inside with ease, secured in place by a vice grip around the base. Jason released it, a plan forming in his mind. To watch his boy penetrate himself, to hear him beg for a larger and hotter cock...

Chad sensed the thoughts, pinkness returning to his cheeks as he looked up at Jason in the mirror. “I won’t do it.”

Yes, he would. If he could tease with a finger, why couldn’t he prepare himself with a cock? Jason gripped the end of the cock and slid it out until only the tip was inside. He pushed it back in, angling it down so Chad’s sweet spot was tickled. Chad shivered, his legs shaking like leaves in the wind as Jason pulled it out at a slower pace than before. His hand froze, unwilling to do more work. The greedy boy returned, his hips moving back to take the whole length. He pressed his forehead on the bed, hiding his face as he continued to move his hips, whimpering quietly.

The slick cock created wonderful sounds as it was sucked into the greedy hole. Jason didn’t have to do anything except watch his hungry boy take it, getting more needy with his faster hip movements. The cock wasn’t big enough, hot enough, and the ring around Chad’s dick was preventing his release from building higher. He stopped, breathing loudly, lube dripping from his plugged ass and filling the air with the scent of cherries.

Jason put his other hand behind his ear, listening closely for the word that would give Chad what he wanted. Chad still hadn’t raised his head, unable to face himself. There was nothing to be ashamed of. Jason would give him the world if he could, but he loved to hear his boy beg. Loved to be desired so strongly. It was a feeling he’d never felt before that fateful night, and he couldn’t get enough of it.

“Please.”

That was a good start, but Chad wasn’t looking at him. Jason slowly pulled the cock out and threw it near the toy chest. Chad’s hole twitched, clenching at nothing but air, desperate to be filled again. It was barely stretched from the small size of the cock, but stretched enough to allow Jason to slide a finger inside without hurting him. He massaged the special place, precum leaking from Chad’s dick as his breathing became ragged. The heat surrounding his finger made Jason want to slide his cock inside and claim the tight ass for himself. This beautiful sight of his boy bent over, candlelight flickering over the smooth body, would be even more perfect if it was accompanied by a thick, long cock stretching him open and burying deep.

Chad’s head tilted up a fraction, his eyes still downcast. Jason withdrew his finger and grabbed the bottle of lubricant, pouring the rest of the contents over his cock. The begging would be coming soon. Stroking himself quickly, he crushed the empty bottle and threw it away. The sheath was almost bursting with each pulse as he rose higher on his knees, positioning the wide head at the waiting hole. He drew teasing circles over it, letting the tip slip past the rim by the tiniest amount, only giving his mate a taste.

The dark blue eyes looked up at him, and a tongue licked the glistening lips. After hesitating briefly, Chad opened his mouth and softly spoke the words. “Please, Jason. I need you.”

Chad was being a good boy, and good boys deserved to be rewarded with a special treat. Jason grasped Chad’s hips carefully, avoiding direct pressure with the bruise, and slowly pulled him onto the slick length. As the tip was sucked inside the incredible heat, Jason was forced to pause, his breath hitching. He had to remind himself to breathe, overwhelmed by the tight grip around his cock.

Through no action of his own, more of his cock disappeared as Chad leaned back, taking it steadily, wanting all of Jason. There were no punishing spanks for his greediness. Jason was beyond the point of caring, needing only the wondrous sight and feeling of having each thick inch get swallowed up by his cock-hungry boy. A full-body shudder rippled through Chad as he finally reached the knot, pressed tight against it, knees spread on either side of Jason.

Chad’s breath emerged in rapid gasps as he gripped the blanket, his head bowed once again. This time, it wasn’t from shame, but from the pain of being stretched and filled. Jason resisted the urge to thrust, tenderly stroking the slender hips, watching the tight little ass tremble. It was so snug, hot, and wet inside his mate, and he was surprised he hadn’t pumped his load already. That couldn’t happen until Chad was knotted, until he’d taken as much cock as he possibly could, deep within him.

The rapid breathing lessened, followed by an experimental roll of Chad’s hips and a quiet moan. Jason released them and sat on his heels. His mate’s hole slowly dragged along his big dick. An inch out, an inch back in, then longer passes as Chad grew more confident about this new role. He paused at the knot, taking a moment to grind against it and test the seemingly impossible. Success was out of reach, the top of the knot barely dipping into his warm depths. Full penetration would require a strength he didn’t have, but it didn’t stop him from trying each time his slippery ass met the knot. He wanted the knot badly, wanted to be filled and tied. For now, Jason was content to watch his cock slide in and out, right down to the knot and back up to the tip.

That familiar feeling of pressure began to build, desperate to be unleashed. His mate started to move with more purpose, slamming on his cock faster and harder in short thrusts, the slick sounds even defeating the loud moans and grunts. Jason gripped Chad’s hips and pulled him onto the next thrust, jerking the tiny body as if it was a mere toy. The knot popped inside just as the first spurt of cum flooded him. Chad let out a pained cry, stretched nearly beyond his limits, muscles fluttering around Jason’s cock.

Chad collapsed, his forearms no longer able to support him, and he tried to wriggle free of the throbbing intrusion as more hot, thick spurts filled him. The grip on his hips was too strong, the knot too big and unyielding, tying him to the boy he belonged to. Jason scooped him up and wrapped his arms around his mate in a possessive hold. Chad could only lean the back of his head against the broad chest, struggling to get air into his lungs, dick twitching from the aftershocks of his release.

“Am... amazing,” he whispered, tears trickling down his face.

Smiling weakly, he wiggled his hips to resettle himself on Jason’s lap. The action caused the knot to rub against his prostate, sending a violent twitch through his softening dick. He moaned and repeated the movement, fully seated, completely filled, and utterly owned, yet wanting even more. Not a drop of cream was spilled as the wiggles transitioned into slow rolls of his hips, encouraging his dick into hardness again. It bobbed against his full belly, and Jason smiled back at him, sliding a hand down to grasp it and give a few strokes. His own cock was always up for a second round, and pumping his mate with another deep load was a welcome thought.

Jason unwound his arms from Chad’s chest and laid his back on the bed, inviting Chad to ride his cock without restraint. The offer was accepted as Chad rocked his hips, stimulating his sweet spot with each slight movement. Jason folded his hands behind his head, feeling relaxed and satisfied with this new turn of events. He’d wanted to save the best for last, but surrendering control to his boy, especially after the event that occurred last night, was helping Chad onto the path of recovery. Chad had been stripped of every ounce of control when the men had forced themselves on him.

“We should do this more often. Me riding your cock, with or without the knotting.” Chad looked over his shoulder, his face half-hidden by shadows. He winked. “Preferably with.”

Jason slid a hand out from under his head and wagged his finger, telling Chad that he shouldn’t get his hopes up. There were many other positions to try. Chad chuckled and faced the mirror, unashamedly watching himself. Rising on his knees as high as he could, he made the deeply-nestled cock appear between his round cheeks, trembling and panting from the effort. The base of the knot became visible for a brief moment, disappearing again as he sank down fully, eliminating the gap. His beautiful, lightly muscled body was shadowed, and if there was a next time, Jason wanted to see Chad from the front. Surround him with candles to make his beauty shine, watch his dick pulse with each sway of his hips, and look into his lusty eyes as the end drew closer.

The gentle sways grew in intensity and the soft panting increased in volume. Watching his cock being ridden so deeply, so desperately, was one of the best sights to be had. Jason lifted his hands and ran them along Chad’s sides, bucking his hips to meet the faster thrusts. He didn’t even have to pull his mate down and force him to accept the second load nice and deep. Chad braced his hands between Jason’s legs and took the twitching cock to its entire extent, making it disappear completely, moaning as it filled him again. His hole pulsed rapidly, milking Jason dry and reducing him to a heavily breathing, growling mess as he gripped Chad’s hips.

There was so much cum being pumped inside his little mate that Jason could feel his cock drowning in it, creating obscene squishing sounds with each twitch against the pulsing walls. He bent at the waist and sat up, moving his hands to Chad’s belly as the last spurt warmed him. The tight ass was still pressed down firmly, enjoying the feeling of being claimed so completely, and the dark blue eyes were closed in pleasure. Remnants of cum slid down the underside of Chad’s shaft, settling in the grooves of his balls and dripping onto Jason’s own. Leaning back, Chad went limp with exhaustion, lightly covering Jason’s hands with his.

“Fuck.”

It was a single, breathless word with a lot of meaning. Jason smiled and wriggled backward, taking Chad with him to the back of the bed. He leaned against the propped pillows, placed a kiss on Chad's head, and tucked his good boy under his chin, the fluffy cat ears tickling his jaw. Chad had taken two big loads from him. Enough for one night. Even if his buried cock wanted more, Jason would tell it to calm down until it finally listened. Otherwise his knot would remain inside his mate for a long time. That wouldn’t be a bad thing he supposed. The feeling of Chad’s silky, wet heat wrapped around him was pure bliss. In return, he was keeping Chad’s belly full and warm.

The lean chest rose and fell gently, and Chad’s dick returned to a softened state, the rubber ring slipping off by itself. His hands dropped to his lap. Jason felt his own eyelids start to get heavy as he blinked slowly, looking at his reflection. He was an ugly boy with a beautiful angel, candlelight flickering over the peaceful features. This boy was very lucky to have found someone who loved and accepted him, despite his faults.

What more could a boy ask for?


	7. Answers

It was still dark outside when Jason awakened to something warm and wet trickling onto his lap. There was only one thing that could be. His cock had decided to have a nap too. The sensation caused Chad’s eyes to flutter open, and he rubbed them as he yawned. The candles appeared to have been burning for less than an hour, only a small amount of liquid pooling in their holders.

“It’s a good thing we woke up. Would’ve had a fire on our hands.”

Chad furrowed his eyebrows and made no move to get off the lap he was sitting on. His legs were extended over Jason’s, and the knot remained inside him. This was going to be tricky. Even with a softening cock, the knot was big and solid. And what if Jason's cock got hard again? It was buried deep in heat and tightness. Exactly what it loved and where it wanted to be.

“Any ideas?”

The best idea was to keep Chad seated until the candles were fully melted, but that could be uncomfortable for him. Jason wrapped an arm around Chad's waist and eased him into a kneeling position, trying not to get hard at the sight of Chad bending over again. Chad inched forward on his hands and knees, whimpering softly as the knot rubbed against his overstimulated spot. The base appeared, less wide than before, and Jason looked at the canopy above his head in a further attempt to stop himself from getting hard. The squishing sounds made him groan at the memory of filling his mate, so he covered his ears until he felt the knot pop out. A torrent of cum was unleashed as Chad returned to an upright position and sat with his legs folded under him.

“Maybe it would’ve been better to do this in the shower.”

Jason nodded in agreement. The puddle of cum would seep through the blankets, but it was too late for regret. Chad squirmed as the cum continued to flow, its passage eased by his stretched, clenching hole. There wasn’t any red, just a huge pile of white. Jason slid closer, his cock twitching at the sight. He’d only been able to enjoy Chad for a relatively short period. Maybe it would be okay to have another taste...

Chad glared over his shoulder and wagged a finger. “Don’t even think about it. My ass is on fire from the knot.”

It was also too late for that. Jason had already thought about claiming him again. He smiled and pinched the loop behind his balls, struggling to squeeze them through. They were being choked, and when they finally popped out, he sighed in relief. The sheath was fun, but not something he would wear constantly. He slid it off and flung it to the discarded cock so they could be washed later. Scooping his balls in a hand and his floppy cock in the other, he checked for signs of damage. A red ring was wrapped around his balls where the tight loop used to be, but everything else was fine. He released them and climbed off the bed, turning to watch the last stream of cum leave Chad’s ass.

Chad crawled to the edge, his hands and legs shaking violently. He raised his arms. “I’m gonna need help getting to the bathroom.”  


Jason picked him up, the weak body becoming jelly in his arms. Chad didn’t even have the strength to wrap his legs this time. They hung straight down, bumping against Jason’s legs as he lifted him to the bathroom. Jason deposited him into the back of the tub and moved his hands to Chad’s waist, helping him to his knees. His legs were too exhausted to stand.

“Thanks.” Chad draped his arms over the edge and pressed his forehead against the porcelain, breathing as if he’d run a mile. Removing the knot had sapped all remaining energy out of him. A longer nap would be needed after this.

The knobs creaked as Jason turned the water on, just a bit so Chad wouldn't get more dirty from the brown. Remembering the toys that needed to be cleaned, Jason jogged out of the bathroom and retrieved the sheath and cock from the bedroom floor. The bright candles reminded him of Chad’s fear of the dark, and he quickly returned to the hallway and flicked the light so it could illuminate the bathroom.

Chad wasn’t moving and resembled a corpse. Jason shook his shoulder vigorously to make sure he was still alive. Death by cock would be a preventable way to die and Jason would never forgive himself. But Chad wasn’t bleeding. He had to be alive.

“I’m fine.” The words were mumbled against the tub. Moving with the speed of a snail, Chad shifted until he was facing the front. His left hand gripped the edge so he wouldn’t fall over, and the other rested on his thigh. He turned his head and smiled reassuringly. “Amazing sex just comes at a price.”

Having to crawl and waddle was a high price, but at least Chad always enjoyed it after Jason had learned how to treat him right. No one else could satisfy him to such an extent. He would never want to be with anyone else, but beautiful angels shouldn’t be with ugly boys. They deserved better.

Chad grabbed Jason’s hand and squeezed it. “Whatever you’re thinking about, stop. I couldn’t ask for a better friend, husband, and lover.”

Jason nodded. The small hand returned to the edge of the tub, satisfied with the response, and the pretty face looked away. He stared at the bruise on Chad’s cheek, trying to smile the best he could.

It was easier said than done to stop thinking about the scary reflection he’d seen in the mirror. The reflection hadn’t been as scary as when he’d awakened from the lake, but the boy in the mirror wasn’t the boy he remembered from yesterday. His smile wasn’t the same because of his weird lips, and his skin made him look like he was turning into a ghost. The scar on his head made him remember Chris and the bad thing she’d done whenever he saw it. If the axe strike had been deeper, she might’ve separated him from Chad forever. Then Chad would get lonely and find someone else to love.

_“Remember what Mommy said. You cannot die. You can never die.”_

Mother was lying again. He hadn’t simply awakened from the lake. He’d been resurrected from the dead.

_“You were only sleeping. My angel was waiting to rise again.”_

Sleeping boys didn’t turn into ghosts. They dreamed of better lives or had nightmares of days long past. Now his dreams were of the boy he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, and that boy was right in front of him. In the present.

Jason pulled the curtain back completely and plugged the drain. The water had become clear, eliminating the risk of Chad getting more dirty. He was already a dirty boy with traces of cum pooling under his seated ass. He’d loved being filled. The way his ass had pressed down, accepting each spurt so willingly... maybe he would want more soon.

The finger wagging returned and the blue eyes narrowed sternly. “Hey. Tell your twitching cock that it won’t be getting a third round tonight.”

Jason closed his eyes, picturing a flabby, naked grandma in the bathtub instead of a beautiful boy. Her breasts were hanging down to her belly button. She crooked her finger, inviting him to enter, but he didn’t want to. His cock didn’t want her either. When he opened them, the beautiful boy was still there, and his cock twitched again. This was bad. The jizz would be wasted if he had to use his hand.

“You can cum inside if you want.”

Jason leapt into the tub and dropped to his knees behind Chad, shaking with excitement as his half-hard cock slid along the soft skin. His mate did want to be filled again. He gripped Chad’s hips and pulled him back onto his lap. It would’ve been nice to try a different position this time, but this would work too. Sliding his hands over the lean chest and sensitive nipples, Jason groaned in anticipation of cumming inside.

Chad scurried to the front of the tub, causing the cool water to slosh up the sides. He laughed shakily and squeezed his legs together, seating his ass down firmly on his heels. “I meant you could enter the tub.”

Jason sighed and scooped water over his cock to calm it down, half sticking up above the surface. He avoided the sight of Chad slipping a hand between his legs and washing himself. Of course Chad wouldn’t want to be entered so soon. His tiny body had taken something that shouldn’t have been able to fit. He would need much longer than an hour to recover. Maybe even a week. Jason didn’t know if his cock would be able to survive being woken up and put back to sleep that many times.

Chad chuckled and turned the water off, which had risen over his belly. “Give me a day or two and I should be back to normal. The human body is surprisingly resilient when it comes to huge cocks.”

Jason moved closer and gave Chad’s back a few gentle pats to tell him that waiting was okay. His cock had misunderstood the meaning behind the words and jumped to life without his permission. It had a mind of its own sometimes, like when it awakened in the mornings already wanting attention. Just like the big cock that Mother used to have until she’d cooked it for dinner and turned the leftovers into chicken sandwiches. That reminded him of the two fresh eggs he’d collected to cook for Chad’s breakfast.

Yawning loudly, Chad resumed washing the jizz off his ass, keeping his right hand across his chest. “I’m not gonna stay in here for much longer. Can barely keep my eyes open. Sorry this isn’t more romantic.”

Jason also yawned as he grabbed a bottle of gel and squirted a big blob into his hand. His eyes were droopy from the fun he’d had tonight. His body was accustomed to getting very little rest because of the nightmares and his duty to avenge Mother, but he was looking forward to getting more sleep. The fun would continue in his dreams of Chad.

_“There are many naughty boys and girls that must be punished. You may rest after they are dead.”_

He dipped his hand into the water and started to wash his floppy cock. The naughty boys and girls would die when he wanted them to, and he would rest when he wanted to. Mother had dictated his life since his resurrection. Avenge her, kill the sluts, be a good boy. He liked doing all of those things, but he needed to be the boss occasionally. If he’d lived solely for Mother, if he’d killed Chad after the dodged pickaxe strike, his life would’ve held only one purpose.

_“My boy must not forget what I’ve done for him. I killed for you and I died for you. I’ll always be with you, Jason. Can you say the same about your boy?”_

Jason’s fingernails dug into his palms as he stood up and stepped out of the bathtub. Mother was trying to manipulate him and pit him against his boy. She wanted him to be good, but she was being bad. He stomped to the rack and yanked a towel off, quickly drying his lower half. If only he could silence her forever.

Was it even Mother talking to him? Maybe he was talking to himself. Maybe he was creating her voice inside his head because he couldn’t let her go, not the other way around. No, that couldn’t be it. Mother had warned him about the intruder in his shack. Unless he’d simply anticipated that one of the cops would find his shack, and he’d found the intruder by chance. Was he turning into a crazy boy? Maybe he’d been crazy all along. Mother was dead. Dead people couldn’t talk. Chad hadn’t sensed her presence in the shack, had he? He’d been creeped out by the decapitated head, and when people were creeped out, their minds could play tricks on them. When people were crazy, they could see and hear things that weren’t there.

“Are you okay?”

The towel was no longer in his hand. It was a pile of cotton on the floor. He couldn’t even remember doing that. The drain gurgled in the background as the water traveled down it. A tiny boy was standing beside him with a worried expression on his face. Jason turned and touched the boy on his shoulder to make sure he was there.

“I’m here, Jason. I’ll always be here for you. Forever.”

Thin arms wrapped around his waist. They were warm, and ghosts were cold. This boy was real. Jason hugged him back, crushing Chad to his chest. He opened his mouth to tell Chad that he was okay, but he couldn’t, so he closed it. Why couldn’t he talk? That was another question he didn’t have the answer to.  


“Let’s get the toys washed up and go back to bed. I'll clean up the towel.”

Jason released him and stepped to the sink. He grabbed the cock and sheath out of it, turned the hot water on, and waited for the brown to disappear. One day, he would get the answers to his questions. Was Mother still alive in a sense? How exactly had Mother brought him back to life? Where did the red come from? Was he crazy? Why did the words come to his mind, but not his mouth? The answers had to be in this house.

A scratching sound, like nails on wood, emerged from the staircase and made him freeze. Chad froze beside him, the fresh towel in the process of being removed from the cabinet.

“What was that?” he whispered, eyes darting over the cabinet’s contents.

Jason dropped the items into the sink and activated stalk, his bare feet silently padding on the floor as he walked into the hallway. It was empty. He continued to the staircase and looked down into the blackness, sighting nothing. The sound must’ve come from a rat. They were getting bolder and trying to sneak into the kitchen for food. He returned to the bathroom, where Chad was facing the doorway and clutching the towel against his chest.

“Anything?”

Jason shook his head.

"Maybe it was a rat." Chad laid the towel on the counter. His legs shook as he took slow steps to the discarded clothing, gripping the counter for support. He grabbed Jason’s pants and offered them over his shoulder. “So you don’t have to walk around naked. We should check the lower level after I get fresh clothes from the bedroom.”

The free feeling was nice for Jason’s cock and balls, but he accepted the pants. Chad turned around and limped past him into the hallway, looking left and right before heading to the bedroom. Jason slid the pants on, listening for other strange sounds. There was nothing aside from rummaging through the drawers. Leaving the boots and shirt on the floor, he turned to the sink and pumped a few blobs of soap onto the sheath and fake cock.

The sheath was covered in cum from the thick streams that had slid down. He couldn’t stop his cock from twitching at the sight as he picked it up and began to clean it under the running water. Chad had been filled so deeply, unable to escape the big knot as spurt after spurt had warmed him up. But then he’d loved the sensation of complete fullness, rocking his hips to rub the knot against his sweet spot. The squishing sounds from more hot cum spurting into him... Jason could still hear them clearly and remember the tight hole pulsing around the base, drawing every drop out of his cock. Such hunger for him. He couldn’t wait to knot his little mate again.

He placed the sheath onto the towel and grabbed the fake cock, smiling at Chad’s greediness. The cock had been perfect for making him beg. In the future, starting with a small size and working up to a bigger one would help reduce the pain for when the real cock was used. Jason rinsed the lubricant off thoroughly and laid the toy beside the sheath, then turned the water off. The toy cleaning was complete, and now the only task left to do was checking downstairs before bed.

Chad’s soft footsteps approached from the bedroom, each one seeming to take forever. He stood behind the doorway, wearing black shorts that reached slightly above his knees and a white shirt that showed his arms. The cat ears had been removed. Jason had hoped to see some of the nice clothes he’d picked out at the store, but this was for the best. His cock wouldn’t be able to handle seeing Chad in an outfit that revealed more skin. The smooth legs were making it twitch even further.

“I blew out the cand—”

A sudden crash on the lower level caused Chad to flinch and fly into the bathroom, his legs moving with a speed that was reserved for terror. He peeked out from behind Jason’s back.

“That’s definitely not a rat.”

It couldn’t be an intruder. No one knew about the location of the house except for the babysitters, right? Unless it was the cops. Maybe they’d followed the tire tracks, but there didn’t appear to be any glowing bodies in the house except for Chad. And a cop would be scared of entering foreign territory in the dark. The two at Packanack had glowed red.

Jason entered the hallway and pointed at the bedroom doorway. Chad could hide in there until it was safe. If he closed the door, a giant rat couldn’t sneak inside and munch him.

“No way. We stick together.”

Jason nodded and grabbed Chad’s left hand, walking slowly to the staircase so Chad could keep up with him without being dragged. The house was old and falling apart, so there was no feeling of urgency at stopping an intruder who wasn’t there. The floor had likely collapsed, or perhaps the rat had knocked something over, such as the pizza pan on the kitchen table.

Chad squeezed his hand tighter on the way down the stairs, his loud breathing and creaky footsteps sounding like thunder. The kitchen was empty and nothing appeared to be disturbed. Jason led him through the doorway into the next room, which had moonlight coming through the front window. He turned the chandelier on to get a better view of the surroundings. The small table in the corner was at an angle, two of its legs dipping under the broken floorboards. The books were on the floor between the hole and the wall.

“We can board it up tomorrow... wait.” Pulling his hand from Jason’s grasp, Chad got down on a knee in front of the hole and turned the books over, inspecting the covers. The one with the weird face was missing. “Huh. Of all the books to fall... and the dagger is gone.”

Jason walked to the sheet of wood that covered the basement entrance. Was Mother trying to tell him something without words? Why would the table fall so suddenly after all these years? He squatted and gripped the edges of the board, sliding it out of the way.

“Don’t tell me you’re going down there.” Chad rested a shaky hand on Jason’s shoulder. “What if... let’s just go to bed. You're not even wearing your boots.”  


Jason dipped a foot into the hole to say he was going down there. This incident was too suspicious not to investigate.

“I’ll go back to the bedroom and wait. My ass is killing me and my legs are almost ready to collapse.”

Chad lifted his hand and limped out of the alcove. Jason listened to the footsteps to ensure that the jelly legs wouldn’t send him crashing to the floor. He wouldn’t be able to help right away if he was in the basement. The creaks were spaced several seconds apart as Chad ascended the staircase. His footsteps continued down the hallway, stopping above Jason’s head, and the bed groaned.

Jason sat on the edge of the hole and dropped down. The strange book and dagger were resting above three broken floorboards. As he squatted to pick them up, the chandelier flickered, sending flashes of dim light into the basement. Chad had gone upstairs just in time. The dying lights would’ve scared him even more and made him think there were ghosts in the house.

There was another strange book, leather-bound and covered in dust and spiderwebs. Jason dusted it off and tucked it under his arm with the other book, holding the dagger in his hand. The bottom rung of the ladder had splintered when he’d been cleaning the basement with Chad, so Jason was forced to morph to the front yard. He retrieved the key from under the doormat and unlocked the door, quickly heading inside to prevent a spider horde from following him. After locking the door and hanging the key on the rack, he continued to the kitchen and set the items onto the table. Chad might want to look at them later.

The basement had to be boarded up again before any rats climbed up the ladder. Jason jogged there and carefully placed the wood so each of the edges were covered. Now he almost ready for bed, but he had to wash his feet first so he wouldn’t get the blankets dirty. Wait, they were already dirty because of the jizz, and the weird event had taken his sleepiness away. Maybe he would do some reading after washing his feet and stripping the bed. Mother had read a lot of books to him when he’d been small, and he used to read the books at Packanack during periods of slow counselor activity. If any of the words were difficult to understand, like jizz and jizzing had been initially, he could ask Chad for help.

Returning to the kitchen, he grabbed the unknown book off the table and headed upstairs to the bedroom. The two blankets from Packanack were on the floor beside the doorway, covered in jizz and lubricant spots, leaving the purple silk unaffected on the bed. A tealight stood on the nightstand, providing the only light in the dark room. Clouds had concealed the moon, and the hallway lights must've sizzled while he'd been downstairs. Chad was sitting straight up in bed, hugging his legs to his chest and wide awake. Sleep wasn’t on his mind either.

“The light bulb burned out when I flicked the switch. Where did you find that?”

Jason placed the book onto the dresser and pointed at the floor. The book had been hidden under the floorboards and had fallen when they’d collapsed.

“Great. A creepy ass book that your mother didn’t want anyone to see.”

Jason shrugged. The book didn’t look like an ass, but Chad was right about the other part. Mother hadn’t wanted anyone to see it. Otherwise she would’ve left the book on the table or put it on the shelf in the living room. Jason lifted a dirty foot to tell Chad that he needed to wash them before joining him on the bed.

Chad stretched out his legs and patted the space beside him. “Don’t worry about that.”

Jason shook his head and jogged out of the bedroom. He’d already made a mess of the floors by walking on them with dirty feet, and he wasn’t going to get Chad’s silk dirty. The bathroom looked the same way he’d left it. Sheath and cock on the counter, and clothes on the floor. He sat on the edge of the tub and began the long process of getting the water clear enough to use. Patience had been something he’d learned from stalking his victims and because of the long periods between counselor activity, but right now, he wanted to be cuddling with Chad in bed and reading the book.

It seemed like forever, but it was probably only a minute until the water cleared. Using the last of the fruity gel, he quickly washed his feet under the running water and dried them on the bath mat. He jogged back to the bedroom and grabbed the book off the dresser. Yet again, his cock could barely handle the sight of the silky legs stretched out. They would look so much better if they were wrapped around his waist with Chad against the wall or sitting on a table.

Jason looked at the brown book cover as he walked to the side of the bed. If he wasn’t careful, his cock would wake up again and not be satisfied with going to sleep on its own. But what about the cuddling? He leaned his back against a propped pillow, keeping a bit of distance between his legs and the soft ones beside them. It was safer this way.

Chad had a different idea. Pressing his hands on the mattress, he used them to boost himself onto Jason’s lap. He wanted to cuddle too, despite the danger. As long as he didn’t wiggle, it should be fine. Jason placed the bottom of the book on Chad’s thighs and opened the cover. Candlelight flickered over the yellowed page. It was blank, so he flipped to the next set of pages.

_September 20, 1945_

_It is said that reflection is good for the soul. What better way to reflect than to share my thoughts here?_

_Mother used to tell me something. Even she had her moments of lucidity when the booze wasn’t befuddling her mind. Where there is a will, there is a way. Girls can be anyone or do anything they want, even when the world is against them, trying to take what little self-esteem they still have. But a girl who gets pregnant at the age of fifteen cannot be anything more than a slut. I can still smell the beer on her breath as she shouted that word, spit flying on my face._

_“Slut! Never show your face again! All the things I’ve done for you...”_

_The pregnancy isn’t even confirmed. I met him... it doesn’t matter where I met him. He grabbed my throat and held me down on the floor. Forced himself into me. Made me stare into his eyes as he did the deed. I punched him, but it was like striking a brick wall. No one should be that strong._

_It was his eyes. They were so black, so full of hatred. They weren’t human. It was like looking into an endless abyss. I stopped hitting him. He could have killed me with one squeeze of his hand._

_I won’t report him. I don’t even know his name. He didn’t say a word, and what’s done is done. Left me there, bleeding and crying. I never want to see him again. Who would believe me? I’m a slut with a drunk for a mother, and my father chose the easy way out of caring for his daughter. He hit the road and never looked back._  


_ Where do I go? What do I do? I’m sitting under a tree as I write this, cold and wet, with only darkness for company._

Chad’s hands shook on his lap. “This is... your mother was... I’m sorry.”

Mother had been a lonely, lost girl with parents who hadn’t cared for her. To make matters worse, her baby hadn’t been conceived out of love. But that hadn’t stopped her from trying her best in life.

_September 21, 1945_

_I don’t know how long I’ve been walking. I’m hungry and tired. I passed a bridge on the way here. It’s not too late to go back, is it?_

“If she’d gone back to the bridge, we wouldn’t have—"

Jason pressed a finger to Chad’s lips. He’d thought about how this love and friendship wouldn’t have been discovered if Chad hadn’t dodged the pickaxe strike, but Jason didn’t want to think about stuff like that anymore. A life without Chad was scary to imagine, and if Mother had completely lost her will to live, Jason wouldn’t have been born.

_September 22, 1945_

_I met someone today in Cadiz, Ohio. His name is Elias Voorhees. He’s big and strong, and he owns a trailer. He works as a miner. Said he would take care of me. All I have to do is help out. That’s a small price to pay for protection. From HIM._

"Hmm. So your stepfather’s name is Elias. I'm assuming your mother was referring to protection from her... her rapist.”

Jason nodded. Mother had wanted protection, and to some degree, Elias had provided it. But he’d also been a bad man.

_September 25, 1945_

_He hit me today. I found a strange book and dagger under the bed while he was working. He’s very particular about his things and noticed they weren’t in the same positions as before. He told me not to touch them, and I smiled and apologized. I have a roof over my head and food to eat._

_Happiness is a far-off dream, but a girl can dream, can’t she?_

Chad frowned. “Asshole. I wonder how he got the book. Guess we’ll never know for sure. Maybe his family was into that witchy stuff.”

_October 25, 1945_

_I haven’t bled this month. I’m going to be a mommy, aren’t I? What shall I name you? Joshua or maybe Jason. I won’t know for sure until I see your angelic face. You’ll be a big, strong boy. Mommy will take care of you._

“Joshua... no, you’re definitely a Jason.”

_December 25, 1945_

_The days bleed together. Each day is the same. I wake up, clean the mess Elias made the previous night, and wait for him to come home. He didn’t have to work, but I wish he did. His temper can be fiery at times, even on a day like today. He didn't buy me anything. I long for the day when I can put on a feast for my special boy and shower him with presents like a good mother should._

Cooking had been Mother’s specialty, and she’d given Jason many presents over the years. He’d broken just as many, but that hadn’t stopped her from giving him more. He couldn’t wait to spend his first Christmas with Chad. It would be fun to exchange presents, bake cookies, eat tasty food, make snowmen and snow angels, and warm each other by the fire.

_January 1, 1946_

_He hasn’t taken me to his bed yet, but I see the way he looks at me. He’s a simple man with simple needs. I do not wish to satisfy them. I will be his maid, but I will not be his slut. It’s too soon._

Jason clenched the edges of the book, nearly ripping it in half. Mother never would've been a slut. She’d been a good girl who’d been taken advantage of by bad men. Just like Chad.

A hand grasped his own and squeezed gently. "Let's not rip your mother's book. She poured her life into this."

Jason took a deep breath and loosened his grip.

January 19, 1946

_Elias asked me to marry him. The ring isn't the most extravagant, but money is tight. It’s a silver band with a single cubic zirconia stone. I said yes. He’ll protect us from HIM. I can feel that man’s... that thing’s presence. He’s out there, watching us. He wants to take you away, Jason._

Chad shivered. “That thing... is she saying the man wasn’t human?”

Jason often wondered where he’d gotten his abilities from. The man who wasn’t really a man? Maybe the answers were in this book.

_January 24, 1946_

_I’m officially a Voorhees. The ceremony wasn’t what I had pictured. We were two people sitting in front of a counter, behind which sat a fat man. We couldn’t even afford a proper wedding dress. These days, he spends most of his money on beer and whiskey, drinking them like water. That’s okay. As long as he protects us, we’ll be fine. Right, Jason? Mommy only married him because I thought he could protect us. She’ll put up with anything to protect you._

_Oh, but how will we tell him about the pregnancy? He’s taking me to his bed tonight after work. Hush now, Jason, and let me think._

_That fucker._

_I did everything I could. I played the role of a dutiful housewife even before the marriage, and yet he wanted to hurt us. The beer was warm. He didn’t like that. I offered him a chilled one, and he snatched it from my hand, startling me into tears. I could never do anything right._

_“Goddamn, woman, I had a shitty day at the shitty mine and I don’t need ya bawlin’ your eyes out. Look at ya, cryin’ in the goddamned food! Useless bitch.”_

_He swaggered to the couch and rested his legs on the coffee table, beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other. His favorite radio program was on, featuring supernatural tales. This episode was called Reviving the Corpse. No one would be reviving him by the time I was done._

_Plate in hand, I told him dinner was ready. He flicked the cigarette at my cheek and told me to shut up. That’s when you told me something, Jason._

_“Tell him, Mommy! Now!”_

_“Hush. I can’t tell him. Not now.” I couldn’t tell Elias about the pregnancy. Not before our consummation._

_Elias thought I was talking to him. In a heartbeat, he was in front of me, staring me down with fury in his eyes. They almost seemed to glow red. “What the fuck did ya say to me? How many times ya need to be told about no talkin’ back? HUH?”_

_Reflexively, I shielded my face from the strike I knew was coming. “No! Elias, I wasn’t... I...”_

_The blow came to my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. My arms moved to protect my unborn baby boy._

_“Not flappin’ your mouth now, are ya?” Elias asked, sneering at me._

_He dragged me onto the couch and lifted my dress, manhandling me like I was a mere dog. The slight roundness of my stomach added to his fury. When we... consummated our marriage, it was like a tornado was sweeping through our trailer. Hours later, I was lying on the floor, sore and exhausted, hands resting on my stomach. Blood was seeping down my forehead from multiple blows, but I was smiling._

_“My sweet boy... did he hurt you too?”_

_“I’m okay, Mommy, but he’s going to kill us next time. You have to kill him first.”_

_“I will, sweetie. When the time is right.”_

_With a bottle of whiskey in hand, Elias staggered to the bed and landed on his stomach, one arm hanging over the edge. “Useless, fuckin’ crazy, and a whore... I oughta kick yer ass out. Tomorrow, I’m gone. I’ve had it up to here with yer nonsense.” Within seconds, he was snoring, whiskey spilling onto the carpet from the fallen bottle._

_“You know what needs to be done, Mommy. Kill him. Kill him now!”_

_Mustering the little dignity I still had left, I stood up and pulled my dress down. For the sake of myself and my boy, I had to do what needed to be done. If I didn’t, who would? What other girls would fall victim to his barbarity? I crept to the trailer door and opened it as quietly as I could. There were many tools inside, but an axe would serve my purposes far better than a kitchen knife. I tugged it out of the tree stump and went back to the bed, placing my knees on either side of the beast._

_“Huh... wuz goin’ on?”_

_“I have something for you, honey!”_

_“Pam? What are you—sweet Jesus!”_

_I buried the axe into the back of his head, causing him to grunt in pain. After a few jerks of his body, it was over. What was I to do? I was young, my husband was dead, my mother didn’t care for my well-being, and I had no money. I had relied on this man for the past few months, and what did I have to show for it except my life?_

_“I love you so much, Mommy!”_

_“I love you too, Jason. More than anything else in the whole world.” Raising the axe high above my head, I gritted my teeth and sent it crashing down with all my might. “And no one will ever hurt us again!”_

_It was as if my body was being possessed. Elias was dead, but I kept chopping until every limb was severed from his body. Blood splattered the walls, the sheets, my face, and my dress. The severed remains were placed into several garbage bags and loaded into the back of his truck, along with my diary, a few sets of clothes, toiletries, his book and dagger, and a couple hundred dollars I found hidden under a couch cushion._

_But what of the trailer? My deed couldn’t be traced back to me. I doused it in gas, leaving a trail from the entrance to several feet from the car. As I crouched beside the vehicle, I lit one of his cigarettes and thought of my journey thus far._

_For most of us, life isn’t easy. We are pulled into this world against our will, kicking and screaming, only to die and be forgotten with time. When it gets tough, we think of what could have been and what could be. We can take the easy route out, or we can persevere and add to the scars that shape us into who we are. There is no light at the end of the tunnel if our eyes remain forever closed, if we do not even try to see or grasp what is out of reach._

_When I stood and flicked the cigarette onto the trail of gas, I did so with a smile. I was a phoenix reborn from the ashes of my old home, heading to my new life and taking my hopes and dreams with me._

“Your mother was a strong girl who developed into an even stronger woman. That asshole got what he deserved.”

Jason grunted in agreement. Mother had faced many trials in her life from a young age. What kind of man would do those things? No man. Only a beast would do that to a fifteen-year-old girl. The beatings wouldn’t have stopped if she hadn’t killed Elias. Broken men like him couldn’t be fixed. They got addicted to bad substances and turned bad themselves. Most of them were bad from the beginning. It took an evil heart to feel no remorse after hurting or violating someone.

He was addicted to Chad’s ass, but that was different.

“Were you talking to her? Uh... from the womb.”

Jason drew an X on the paper with his finger. He hadn’t talked when he’d been inside Mother’s belly. She might’ve talked to herself out loud or heard a voice in her head. Maybe her mother had been the same. Was that why Jason heard Mother’s voice? She’d taught him that babies received traits from both parents. Mother could’ve gotten those traits from her mother and passed them to him. His damaged mind could be imagining every conversation with her. What a scary thought. He quickly flipped to the next page.

_January 25, 1946_

_It’s still dark outside. The air is crisp, but the lake remains unfrozen and no snow blankets the ground. I’ve been driving for miles, and with each one, I’m leaving more of my past behind. I passed a sign on the way here. Crystal Lake, 18 miles. Here I sit, parked at the lake’s edge, looking at the dark water through the window. I’ll weigh the bags down with rocks so they will never be discovered._

_My task is complete, and my next destination will be the town after I change my clothes and get rid of them. Although it feels as if a weight has been lifted from my shoulders, sleep won’t come easily tonight. I need nourishment for my baby boy and a place where I can raise him in peace._

_I came across a For Sale sign posted on a shop window in town. The owner, Mr. Lasko, said the house has been empty since the tenant died. The townspeople claim the house is haunted, but he brushed it off as nonsense. Anything to make a sale I suppose, but it was within my price range, and the location is very private. He sold it to me for pennies. When Jason told me how pretty the house was, I had to take it._

_We’re home, Jason._

“I wonder if the cops ever found Elias’ remains. Maybe your mother confessed eventually.”

Jason didn’t know. Mother hadn’t told him about everything in her life. She had to still be real. How else would he have known that Elias had been chopped to pieces and dumped into the lake? When he'd been a little boy, Mother had simply told him that "she'd taken care of business with a bad man."

She hadn't provided the gruesome details, not wanting to scare him. On the day when Chad had been shopping and Jason had been cleaning Mother's bedroom, he'd remembered the details of Elias' death. Memories couldn’t just appear by themselves, right?

“A haunted house... great. Just what I need to be reading about before bed.” Chad snuggled closer, the wiggles causing Jason to groan softly. This was very bad.

_January 26, 1946_

_We’ve been getting a lot of rain lately and I think I’m coming down with a cold. The house is poorly insulated and needs a lot of work, but I don't have the funds to make that happen. I had to chop wood for the fireplaces, and that in itself was tiring, even though my pregnancy is barely showing._

_I went into town in search of a job, discovering Joey B’s Diner. The manager, Beatrice, told me I would be a luxury employee if I could butter toast. That I could certainly do, and more. Most of the time, Mother had been too drunk to lift a finger, so I used to fend for myself. Beatrice hired me on the spot, and now I'll be able to provide for myself and my son. Life is good._

“Joey B’s Diner... I’ve been there a few times, but I stopped going when I heard them joking about mice in the kitchen. Beatrice must be long gone. I’m glad she gave your mother a chance.”

No one would’ve hired Mother if they’d known about the things she’d done. They wouldn’t have understood her actions, despite the noble purpose. She’d been smart and good at covering her tracks. Jason had learned how to do that too.

_June 13, 1946_

_I was standing in front of the grill with a hand on my round stomach. “Jason, you’ll be meeting Mommy’s friends soon.”_

_Garrett Droege, Beatrice’s husband, appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. “Pammy, who are you talkin’ to? The mice?”_

_I smiled to myself. “Oh Mr. Droege, you’re a hoot.”_

_“Come with me. I got some folks I want you to meet.” He led me to a table at the front of the diner, where a man was seated and a woman was standing. “Pam Voorhees, this is David and Louise Christy. They’re opening a summer camp for kids.”_

_“Nice to meet you,” David said._

_“It’s nice to meet you too, Mr. and Mrs. Christy,” I replied, rubbing the back of my sore neck._

_“Louise and I love your cooking and we’re in dire straits. We need a chef at the camp. Think you could cook for seventy-five kids, three times a day this summer?”_

_My eyes widened in shock. How could an opportunity like this fall into my lap? “I... I’m not sure if I understand...”_

_“We’re offering you a job. It won’t be easy, but Camp Crystal Lake needs someone with your skills.”_

_“But I already have a job, and...”_

_Garret stood in front of me and placed a hand on my shoulder. “Pammy, the camp is only open for five weeks in the summer. This job won’t go anywhere. You also got your baby to think about.” He moved beside me, keeping a hand on my shoulder and another around my arm. “What do you say?”_

_“I don’t know what to say.”_

_“Then say yes,” Louise suggested, smiling warmly at me._

_I smiled back at her. “Yes! I’ll take it!”_

_“MOMMY!”_

_A sharp pain hit my stomach, and I doubled over, screaming from the intensity and suddenness. The men crowded around me and asked what was wrong. “My... my baby...” Water spilled through my pants as I collapsed on my side, crying and gripping my stomach._

_“Somebody call Doc Baker!” Garrett shouted._

_I vaguely remember being brought to the hospital and lifted onto a skinny bed. I screamed for them to get the baby out of me. What the hell were they doing while I was suffering? I could smell smoke from a cigarette as I lay there, writhing with barely any room to move. Mother used to tell me that doctors were quacks, and I could finally understand her._

_“Relax, Mrs. Voorhees,” Doctor Baker said, taking a puff of his cigarette. “Screaming won’t do you any good. Birth is the most natural thing in the world.”_

_“Then why—ah!—does it hurt so much?”_

_“Nature isn’t always pretty. Now push.”_

_I pushed and pushed. When my baby boy finally left my body, the eyes of the two nurses and doctor widened in horror as they gasped in unison._  
_ “Dear lord!” Baker yelled, making the sign of the cross. “What is that?”_

_“What?” I asked, peering over my stomach. “I want to see my son!”_

_Baker handed me my son, telling me to be prepared. Yes, you were definitely a Jason. The most beautiful boy in the world. You didn’t cry as you looked at me with your bright, unblinking blue eyes._

_The hospital staff ushered me out of the hospital as quickly as they could, saying I had given birth to the devil. Now, as I sit at the kitchen table, cradling you and documenting what has been the best day of my life, I can say I’m the luckiest mother to have brought an angel down from heaven._

“Wow... those assholes didn’t think to let your mother stay for a few days? I guess the Christy family must’ve brought her home.”

After facing that reaction from the mean people, Mother would’ve wrapped him in a blanket so his ugly face couldn’t be seen by others. As he’d grown up, hiding had become more difficult. He'd been forced to stand behind her back and shield his face with his arms.

“When I saw your face for the first time, I was stunned by your beautiful eyes.” Chad chuckled. “But as cute as you are, remember there can only be one Greek god on earth.”

Jason smiled. Mother had constantly told him how beautiful he was, but nothing could compare to this boy. Chad looked like an angel and he had a kind heart too. He was always so nice to Jason.

_June 14, 1946_

_My job at the diner has been put on hold and the Christy family told me to take as much time as I needed. They drove Elias’ truck here and walked back to the camp. They were curious about my new baby, but I didn’t let them see Jason. I don’t need more horrified stares._

_Jason is perfect. THEY are the ones with problems. The next person who mocks him will get a surprise, just like Elias did. Oh, but how will I find a babysitter?_

“She was right. The problem is with the people who only look skin-deep. I know I pay a lot of attention to my appearance, but I like to think I’m more than that.”

Jason moved his hand to Chad’s heart, then back to the book. A lot of value could be found under the surface. Chad was very beautiful and had a nice ass though.

_July 14, 1946_

_Sluts. Dirty fucking sluts, all of them. They come here with their fake smiles and slutty clothes, telling me what a good job they will do. But do they stay? No! The longest was three days. She ran out of the house, saying Jason grabbed her throat and tried to kill her. How would my angelic boy do something like that? He’s growing fast, certainly, but he’s only a baby. People around town are starting to talk. My friends haven’t called me. Why do I even have phones in the house?_

_It’s okay, sweetie. The next one won’t be leaving. I buried the first in the backyard and I can do the same with the rest until they finally learn._

“Whoa. So we have a corpse buried in the backyard. Maybe more.”

Jason held up one finger. A single corpse was buried. After Mother’s bad luck with babysitters, she’d found an old lady to live in the house.

“Just one? Still creepy, but it’s better than ten.”

_July 15, 1946_

_My prayers have been answered. Her name is Judith Cunningham. She agreed to stay here while I work at the camp in the summer and the diner during the off periods. Jason unsettles her, but her composure is far higher than the rest. If things don’t work out, there is always a solution. Isn’t there, sweetie?_

“I’m assuming things worked out with her. Otherwise we’d have a mass grave.”

Jason nodded. Mrs. Cunningham had been a nice lady, despite being scared of him. She’d tended to avoid looking at him directly, and that had made her job more bearable. She'd taken the photo on his eleventh birthday.

“It looks like your mother stopped writing in her diary for a while. The next entry starts on... June 13th, 1957.”

In the years after finding Mrs. Cunningham, Mother had started to focus on living instead of dwelling on the past. She'd went to work, arrived at home, cooked food, fed the chickens, tended to the garden, and read books with Jason. Afterward, she’d gone to sleep so the next day could begin. When he’d been old enough to go to school, she’d decided to teach him at home during her spare time. Mrs. Cunningham had also helped him learn, with strict directions from Mother about school subjects. He’d been a smart boy, though his speech had been slower than his mind. Everyone used to say he was stupid.

Mother hadn’t taken him into town that often because he’d always returned with tears. The fire in her eyes had been enough to silence the townspeople, at least for a short time. They’d whispered about the crazy woman who’d lived deep in the woods, and no one had dared to set foot in the area. At home, life had been peaceful. But one day...

_June 13, 1957_

_“Mr. Christy, your face is so pale. What’s wrong?”_

_“It’s Jason.”_

_I was serving cherry pie to the children when Mrs. Cunningham called the camp. Racing home in my car, I discovered her in front of the house, wringing her hands._

_“I’m sorry, Mrs. Voorhees, but I can’t stay here any longer.”_

_“What is it? Where’s Jason?”_

_“Come with me.”_

_She led me to the backyard, where a litter of kittens lay mutilated. One was strapped to a tree with barbed wire, belly facing outward. A hatchet was embedded in the tree trunk, and the claw of a hammer was stuck in a skull._

_“This is how he plays, Mrs. Voorhees. This is his idea of fun. He was covered in blood from head to toe, smiling as he tried to hand me a mutilated kitten. Like he was proud of what he’d done! And—”_

_I stormed inside the house, throwing a dismissive wave over my shoulder. “That will be all. You may leave.”_

_Jason’s bedroom door was closed. I knocked on it a few times. “Sweetie? It’s Mommy. May I come in?” He didn’t answer, so I let myself in. “It’s okay. Don’t be scared.” Getting down on my hands and knees, I peered under the bed. “Mommy’s here now, Jason. She’ll always keep you safe.”_

_He took my hand and crawled out from under the bed. As I rose to my feet, he gave me a tight hug, tears falling down his face. “I’m sor... sorry, Mother. I wanted Mrs. Cunningham to help the kitty. If I smiled at her, she wouldn’t be scared of me.”_

_“Hush now, Jason. I know you wouldn’t have hurt the kitties. It was someone else, wasn’t it? A cruel prank.”_

_Jason nodded._

_I released him and pointed at the desk. “Go play with your crayons. Mommy has a phone call to make.”_

_He sniffled and dragged his feet to the desk, sitting down heavily. Brown, green, and black crayons whirled across the white paper, depicting what looked to be a shadow moving among the trees._

_“That’s my good boy.”_

_I left the bedroom and closed the door quietly behind me, heading to my bedroom. Picking up the phone on my nightstand, I dialed Mr. Christy’s number and received an answer immediately._

_“Hello?”_

_“It’s Pam. I’m sorry about the short notice, but I need time to spend with my son. There was a... situation with the nanny. She’s been dismissed.”_

_“But the camping season just started! We need you!”_

_“I apologize again, but there’s no other—”_

_“Wait, Pam! How about bringing Jason to the camp? He’ll love it here. The teenagers are responsible, Christian...”_

_It was the only option I had. With no one to take care of my son while I was away, what was I to do? I hung up the phone and returned to Jason’s room._

_“Where there is a will, there is a way. If we try hard enough, we can be anyone or do anything we want, even when the world is against us. You’ll be a good boy and prove yourself today, won’t you? Mommy needs you to be strong.”_

_Jason was silent for the whole trip, staring at his hands. When we arrived at the camp with him hiding behind my back, two counselors greeted us._

_“I’m Claudette! This is Barry.”_

_“Good afternoon, Mrs. Voorhees.” Barry had a smug smile that I didn’t like at all, and the slut beside him was wearing shorts that didn’t even fall halfway down her thighs._

_“You must be Jason!” Claudette bent over to Jason’s height and waved at him. “He’s shy, isn’t he?”_

_“Jason, go with the nice teens,” I said, glancing over my shoulder. He turned his body away and shielded his face with an arm. “Jason, Mother is talking to you!”_

_He followed my orders, and at the time, I didn’t know how much I would come to regret my decision._

_“This will help you relax, ma’am.”_

_I was injected with something that didn’t calm my fury at all. “Relax? That whore and her cretin of a boyfriend let my son drown! Just so they could have sex! They should’ve been watching him! They should've saved him!”_

_Barry and Claudette were huddled together, wearing nothing but their shorts. They didn’t say a word. No apologies, no explanation for their actions, but they weren’t smiling. They could hear the unspoken threats in my voice. Oh yes, I would have my revenge. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow..._

_Rowboats scattered across the water, searching in vain. The lake was deep and filled with caves and seaweed. The sun had barely disappeared below the horizon when they ceased the search. I was just a deranged woman with an “ugly son”. A “weird-looking dumb kid”. Who would miss him?_

_My angel died in the lake today._

Jason looked into the mirror, checking for signs of horror on Chad’s face. There were none. Only furrowed eyebrows and a tight mouth.

“You didn’t kill the kittens. They wouldn’t have just materialized this deep in the forest. Someone brought them here.”

Jason nodded. He’d only hunted animals occasionally for protein when other food sources hadn’t been available. They’d never suffered. One blow to the head. Mrs. Cunningham had exaggerated when she’d said that he’d been covered in blood. He’d cut himself on the barbed wire while trying to free the kitty from the tree, and he'd wiped his hands on his clothing.

“Claudette and Barry... did they pressure you into the lake?”

Jason nodded again. He’d wandered into the forest and caught Barry hurting Claudette, or so he’d thought at the time. She’d been bent over a fallen tree and Barry had been behind her. The sounds had been scary and reminded Jason of when Mother had talked about being hurt by the bad men. Jason had jumped on Barry’s back, growling and hitting him on the head, and Barry had punched him in the face. They’d chased him through the forest, with Barry yelling “I hope you can swim, you ugly twit!”

He’d had to prove himself. He hadn’t been a burden on the world, only a boy who’d been trying to live with the face and body he'd been given. Barry and Claudette had stood at the shoreline, watching him drown, and the other counselors had been having sex.

“Your mother did end up getting her revenge. I saw their names on the graves. Serves them right.”

The diary entry continued on the next few pages.

_131415\. 13 13 13 13 13 19._

_Police Chief Tom Kelly and Detective Madri interviewed me after the incident. They couldn’t even get Jason's age right, but I didn’t correct them initially. I did correct them when they started off by questioning his intellect. Jason is a wonderful, smart boy. You just need to be watched over, don’t you sweetie? I’ve always protected you. You’re my special boy._

_I was lied to. The counselors were not responsible, and no self-respecting Christian would have sex before wedlock. When I told the investigators about why I took the job, they actually defended those mongrels! No, the counselors weren’t “just”... they were fucking! That’s what all of them were doing. Oh, but no, the counselors really were doing their jobs, ma’am! How would they know? They weren’t there! They don’t understand. I heard him calling for me. Mommy, please, help me Mommy. Please! But it couldn’t have been him, right? The voices, sometimes you hear them. My boy was safe, but he wasn’t._

_He couldn’t swim. I tried to teach him, but he was terrified of the water. I told him to be strong. And he was! He tried. He wanted Mommy to know he was brave, wanted everyone to know. There were things he could do by himself. 11 years old. Did any of them even know it was his birthday? No, they didn’t care. Find my little boy now! God damn them. They are heartless. They will pay for this. I’ll fucking kill them. All of them. They will burn in the fiery pits of hell._

_Baby, it must be so dark and cold. A major storm is coming in, so I can’t look for you. Mommy must live for the sake of our future, but those fucking bastards should be out there. Are you awake, Jason, or are you asleep and dreaming? You can hear Mommy speak out loud as I write this, can’t you? Wherever you are, you can hear Mommy. I love you so much. We’ll be together forever. Hush now, Jason, Mommy will never leave you. Never ever! It’s late and you need to be in bed. Listen to Mommy, Jason._

_They asked me about his father. His real father and the man I killed. They told me I confessed. When did I do that? I can’t remember. Kill him, Mommy. You know what needs to be done. Kill him. Kill him now! I did, sweetie. I killed him for you. For us._

_Doctor Jarvis. They didn’t want to leave me alone with him. Hah! He wants kids. Rachel for a girl, Tommy for a boy. Medical doctor, not a psychologist. Detective Madri wanted him to talk about the situation with my son. If they can’t find him, I’ll what? I’ll go crazy? Jason is all alone, lying at the bottom of the lake. You’re all alone, breathing, aren’t you sweetie? Mommy will find you. Don’t worry. Mommy will always be there for you._

_Always and forever._

“I hate to say it, but...”

Jason covered Chad’s mouth so he wouldn’t have to say it. Mother had snapped. Gone crazy.

_June 13, 1958_

_Over the past year, no one has done anything to punish the counselors for their negligence. Not the police, not the Christys. The camp reopened today like nothing happened. My boy is a mere ghost. On this night, I had to make them remember. Make them pay. That stupid book didn’t work, so now I must take matters into my own hands._

_I made the long trek through the forest on foot, knife in hand. The children were sleeping soundly in their beds as the filthy mongrels sang in the next cabin. Barry and Claudette separated from the others to do what they did best. I only had to follow the disgusting noises, which led me upstairs._

_“Somebody’s there,” Claudette whispered._

_Barry rolled off Claudette and rose to his feet, one hand raised in a placating gesture and the other gripping the waistband of his shorts to keep them up. “We weren’t doing anything! We were just messing—”_

_That smug smile was nowhere in sight as he was stabbed in the chest, the tip of the blade appearing through his back. Gripping his wound, he stumbled to the floor while Claudette screamed. I had to silence her. She ran around like a headless chicken, throwing empty boxes and other items at me. With a wide grin, I gutted her from chest to stomach, and oh how she screamed as her innards spilled out. It was funny how she tried to put them back in._

_They were children themselves, yes, but children must be disciplined. How will they learn otherwise? My sweet boy did everything I asked of him. I couldn’t have asked for a better son, and yet he was punished in the worst way possible, all because of their negligence. THEY are responsible. I must make sure this never happens again._

_Happy birthday, Jason. I made your favorite vanilla cake this afternoon. I only wish you were here to enjoy it with me._

“Interesting. So this day marked the first time when she read from the book.”

Mother had set something in motion on that day, but she hadn’t known at the time. She’d learned eventually.

"Did your mother ever... discipline you?"

Jason spaced his thumb and index finger slightly apart, then tapped his lips.

"Ah. All bark and no bite. Her voice was her authority."

_June 14, 1958_

_They closed the camp. The townspeople are already calling it Camp Blood, and the police haven’t shown up at my door. The bumbling fools don’t bother with me, much like the rest of them._

_I haven’t had a job since my angel drowned. Yesterday morning, I begged the Christys to let me return, but they refused. They had grown more distant since learning of Jason’s deformities, and even more still when the rumor began about the torture of the kittens. The drowning was the icing on the cake. I am a cursed woman._

_I have enough money to last me for the years to come. I do not squander. Life won’t be luxurious, but it will be life nonetheless. The most difficult aspect will be dragging myself through it._

“Living on her savings for all of that time... prices must’ve been cheaper back then, but still. If I keep spending like this, I’ll have to get a job.”

Jason shook his head firmly. People bothered Chad everywhere he went, and having a job would mean he wouldn’t be at home most of the time. Jason would hunt and help grow food, boil water for drinking, and steal any items Chad wanted.

Chad smiled. “All right. Maybe I won’t get a job.” His eyes flicked down to the book and his smile disappeared. “It looks like a bunch of pages have been ripped out.”

_June 13, 1962_

_How many times has it been now? I’ve lost count. The fools keep trying to reopen the camp. I set fires, I poison the water, and yet they still try. Persistent little rats._

_I’ve been making progress._

“Progress with what? Guess we’ll find out.”

There was no date on the next entry.

_Don't look over your shoulder. Don't look over your shoulder. Don't look over your shoulder. Don't look over your shoulder. Don't look over your shoulder. Don't look over your shoulder. Don't look over your shoulder. Don't look over your shoulder. Don't look over your shoulder. Don't look over your shoulder. Don't look over your shoulder. Don't look over your shoulder. Don't look over your shou_

_No eyes. Where are its eyes? Grey skin. Sharp teeth. Spiked chin. The red is everywhere. Red hands, red feet, red mouth, red chest._

_God, what have I done? Why is there fog? If you don't look at it, maybe it will go away._

Chad bit his lip. “Uh... Jason? Any ideas about this?”

Jason shook his head, but he knew. It was the bad thing.

_I saw it again today. If you hear it climbing up the ladder, if you see it stalking up the stairs, make sure you walk backward and don’t let it out of your sight._  


_ It can move things around, yet be invisible to the eye. It can teleport and suddenly appear in front of you or behind you. It can sense your location. It can silence its footsteps, despite its clawed feet. It can manipulate the mind and make you hear or see things that aren’t there. It can talk._

Chad lifted a hand to his chest and breathed deeply. “The front and back doors are locked, right?”

Doors wouldn’t stop the bad thing, but Jason nodded to make Chad feel better. The trembling hand returned to Chad’s lap.

“That’s good news. Last entry.”

_June 13, 1979_

_Sarah. Linda. May. So young. So pretty. An older woman needed their help. Her cat was stuck in a tree at home. A slice here, a slice there..._

_Deaths come in threes. 1 lost boy, 3 dead sluts. 13 13 13. June 13, 1946. June 13, 1957. June 13, 1979._

_My angel didn't rise from the lake. Should it have been 2 dead sluts? 4?_

_1 + 2 = 3_  
_ 4 - 1 = 3_  
_ 1 + 1 + 1 = 3_

_1 boy, 1 slut, and_

_Barry Claudette Sarah Linda May Annie Ned Jack Marcie Brenda Steve Bill Alice_

_13._

_Mommy's coming, Jason._

“The skeletons in the basement... Sarah, Linda, and May. Your mother killed them on your birthday, thinking it would result in your resurrection.” Chad’s eyes narrowed in concentration. “One boy, one counselor, and one... spellcaster maybe? Then she ended up being the 13th death since June 13th, 1957. We don’t know which of those two methods was correct, but one thing's clear. Her death was the final component.”

Jason closed the book and leaned to the side, setting it on the nightstand. The tealight was almost fully consumed, leaving a pool of liquid wax in the holder. He blew it out and wriggled further down the bed, resting his head on a pillow. Patting the sliver of space next to it, he invited Chad to lay beside him.

“This is a lot to process. Don’t know if I’ll get any sleep tonight.” Chad sighed and lay on his side, facing the wall. It was warm to be snuggling, but he wiggled closer until his back was pressed against Jason’s chest. “If we can find those missing pages, maybe we can learn more about the strange book.”

Many answers remained to be discovered, but Jason didn’t know if he wanted them anymore. Scary monsters were in that book, and it seemed as if they were connected to him on a deeper level than he’d imagined.

Sleep wouldn’t come easily tonight. When it did, he hoped to find peace in his dreams. They reminded him of what could be if he tried hard enough... a bright future, full of smiles and laughter, with his favorite boy in the world. Leaning up slightly, he gave Chad a goodnight kiss on his cheek and wrapped an arm around him. As Jason closed his eyes, he wondered what tomorrow would bring.


	8. Chance Encounters

Against all odds, Chad did get some sleep that night, despite the revelations from several hours prior. Golden light streamed through the two windows and cheerful birdsong was heard in the distance. A thick arm wasn’t wrapped around him, a chin wasn’t on top of his head, and morning wood wasn’t poking into his back, contrary to his expectations. He was alone. Slowly sliding off the bed, he willed his sore body to cooperate as he limped to the doorway.

“Jason?”

His voice was starting to lose its raspy tone, but it still sounded foreign to his ears, and he couldn’t speak at a normal volume. Nevertheless, a soft grunt from downstairs indicated that Jason had heard him. The scent of sizzling eggs was in the air, surprisingly not accompanied by the smell of smoke, and he smiled as he entered the bathroom to wash his hands. Jason was treating him to breakfast yet again, only this time, it was more advanced than peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Hopefully the eggs would be edible. Barfing them up wouldn’t be a pleasant way to repay Jason’s thoughtfulness.

As Chad waited for the water to become usable, he thought of all the things that had to be done. After eating breakfast, taking a shower, and getting dressed, the next order of business would be giving fresh water to the chickens and perhaps interacting with them. Without constant attention, they could turn shy or aggressive. Then he planned to water the vegetable seeds and take a trip into town for gas, light bulbs, and cleaning supplies, assuming his legs could handle it. Anyone who watched him walk would surely wonder if he’d had something up his ass last night.

The purple on his cheek appeared to be getting darker by the hour, and his neck wasn’t looking that great either. How could he possibly go out like this? Leaning down, he splashed his face with water and looked into the mirror again. It would be weeks until the bruises faded. He would have to put up with them for this one trip and then live as a recluse until they went away. Last night, nearly every bulb in the house had fizzled, and carrying candles everywhere would be a hassle. He turned the water off and shivered, remembering the creature that Pamela had talked about in her diary. Maybe it had only been the ramblings of a madwoman. She'd clearly gone downhill after Jason's drowning, and even more so when she'd started messing around with the book.

He was beginning to regret using that last med spray yesterday. Not that it would do much to reduce the effects of having a monstrous cock and a ten-inch knot inside his ass, but still. If nothing else, it might enable him to take more than five steps before needing a break. He kept a hand on the wall as he left the bathroom and limped down the long hallway. Upon reaching the stairs, he gripped the railing with both hands and descended them sideways, wincing with each slow step. They creaked and dipped under his feet, and he wondered if that would be the next thing to go in the house. If this place made it to the end of the year without becoming a pile of rubble, he would be shocked beyond belief. All the more reason to get the repairs finished as quickly as possible.

As he limped into the kitchen, he discovered Jason standing at the stove, wearing a white apron that looked comically small on his large frame. The ties could barely fit around his waist. His pants were still on, with the addition of his boots, but his shirt wasn’t part of the picture. His broad back flexed as he scooped the fried eggs onto a plate with two slices of buttered toast. The details of the eggs weren’t visible from this distance. Chad sat at the table, his heart fluttering from the cuteness of it all and a touch of nervousness at the idea of sampling these eggs. They smelled normal at least, though it was difficult to tell with the fragrant roses masking the scent.

Jason picked up the plate and turned around. The apron was even more comical from the front, straining against his pecs and falling just below his crotch like a mini dress. Not wanting to offend him by chuckling, Chad kept his eyes on the plate and smiled as it came closer. The eggs also looked normal. A bit overcooked perhaps, having gone through several flipping cycles, and there was no salt or pepper. That wasn’t a bad thing, considering Jason would’ve emptied the shakers in a few movements with his strength.

He reached across the table and set the plate down. Returning to the counter, he grabbed the empty glass and filled it with milk from the fridge. The glass trembled, nearly spilling its contents as he brought it to the table. He fiddled with his hands and waited for Chad to sample the food, his eyes shining with hopefulness.

“It looks great. I can tell you poured your heart into making this for me.”

Jason nodded so fast that it was surprising how his head didn’t snap off from his neck. He looked like a puppy waiting for his treat, the treat being praise for his job well done.

Chad broke off a piece of toast and scooped a small amount of egg, quickly popping it into his mouth. There was no time for hesitation when this adorable man had gone to such lengths to make him happy. The meal wasn’t inedible by any means, just bland. He swallowed and took a sip of milk to wash it down.

“It also tastes great. You’re my special boy, aren’t you?”

Chad didn’t know why he'd added that extra part, but the effect was instantaneous. Jason stepped around the table and dropped to his knees. Letting out a relieved sigh, he hugged Chad from the side and nuzzled his upper arm, laying soft kisses on it. The actions nearly brought Chad to tears, his hand frozen as it gripped the glass.

“I swear... you’re going to be the death of me.”

Jason released him and jumped to his feet, panic crossing his features as he played with his hands again. Had he been hugging too tightly?

“I’m just suffering from cuteness overload. You’re too cute, Jason. Cleaning and decorating the house, cooking me breakfast...”

Chad continued to eat, savoring each bland bite while Jason stood beside him. Last night, he’d told Jason that he couldn’t ask for a better friend, husband, and lover. He’d meant it. Like himself, Jason wasn’t without faults, but his eagerness to please, ability to learn, and adorable nature made up for any shortcomings.

“Are you going to have anything to eat?”

Jason nodded and grabbed the empty plate, carrying it to the counter. He opened the fridge and pulled out the vanilla cake. Looking over his shoulder, he silently asked for permission to have a slice for breakfast.

“You don’t have to ask, but make sure you brush your teeth after. Did you remember to brush them last night?”

Jason quickly turned his head away and busied himself with cutting a slice. He used his fingers to plop it onto the nasty plate, disregarding the egg remnants and toast crumbs. Bringing the plate back to the table, he sat across from Chad and avoided his gaze. He’d forgotten to brush his teeth.

“It’s okay. Your teeth won’t fall out if you forget to brush them one time. Did you at least wash your hands?”

Jason’s eyes twinkled as he shook his head and grabbed the cake, taking a big bite that dusted his lips with white icing. Who knows what he’d been doing with his hands prior to making breakfast? Petting chickens, cleaning the coop, jacking off, scratching his balls...

“You’re lying.”

He was just playing around of course. The twinkling eyes always gave him away. Forcing back the smile, Chad rubbed his stomach until a deep chuckle told him the hands had been washed. Something like that would never be forgotten. Jason snarfed the last bit of cake and grabbed the plate, bringing it to the sink. He squirted a generous amount of soap into his hand and began to wash them thoroughly. The lavender scent masked the rotten eggs that came out of the taps down here.

There were so many things to do with the house that Chad wasn't sure where to start. He rested his chin on a hand and sighed. The holes in the wall and floor should be addressed first. He didn't need a horde of rats raiding the pantry or chewing up furniture and clothes for nesting material. Those vines outside also had to go, and that task would be left to Jason. A cascade of spiders would skitter out once their homes were disturbed. And what about the missing pages? They were likely related to Pamela’s progress with the ritual, and she must’ve ripped them out so nobody else would be able to perform the magic. Maybe she’d burned them, but it would still be worth keeping an eye out. That creature, assuming it existed, needed to be sent back to wherever it had come from.

Jason returned to the table and sat on the chair beside him. He pulled the pencil and yellowed sheet of paper out of his pocket and began to write a list of things to do, as if reading Chad’s mind.

_-Give water to chickens_  
_ -Water the garden_  
_ -Fix the house_  
_ -Cut the vines_  
_ -Bake chocolate chip cookies_  
_ -Bring Mother home_  
_ -Play with you_  
_ -Find her_  
_ -Kill them_  
_ -Kill them_  
_ -Kill them_  
_ -Kill them_  
_ -Kill the_

Chad gripped Jason’s hand, ignoring the stings from the wounds. The pencil stopped moving as Jason looked up at him, blinking rapidly. “It’s still there, isn’t it?”

Jason released the pencil, laying his hand flat on the table. Chad gently stroked it until the shaking ceased. The red hadn’t disappeared following his collapse at the hands of Chris, and Chad hadn’t expected anything different, but he’d still hoped it would. Something or someone was denying Jason the peace he deserved. It had to be his own bloodlust, Pamela, or... no. It couldn’t be a case of possession, could it? But when Pamela had described the creature’s abilities, they’d seemed strangely similar to Jason’s sense, shift, stalk, and morph abilities. However, she’d said the creature could talk, and that implied it could speak through Jason if it wanted to.

“Whatever’s going on, we’ll figure it out one day. For now, let’s enjoy our time the best we can. I just need my shoes—”

The last sentence was barely out of his mouth before Jason was zooming out of the kitchen, knocking the chair over in his haste to fulfill the request. His footsteps pounded on the upper floor, stopping at the end of the hallway, and seconds later he was rushing down the stairs with the pair of shoes from the bathroom. Kneeling by Chad’s side, Jason laid the shoes on the floor and lifted each one with both hands as if they were glass slippers. Chad smiled gently at Jason’s intense concentration as the shoes were slipped onto his feet.

“I feel like a prince. Thanks.”

A sweaty prince who was already in need of a shower and grooming session. Today was going to be another scorching day. Jason extended a hand, and Chad graciously accepted it, rising to his feet.

“Chickens first?”

Jason nodded. He untied the apron, placing it onto the table, and jogged to the back door. As Chad followed Jason through and closed the door behind him, he made a mental note to purchase a deadbolt when he went out. It might not do much against supernatural creatures, but it would offer better security than the 1940s rusted doorknob lock that was on there now. Decades ago, someone had brought a litter of mutilated kittens here, and that person could be alive. According to Pamela’s diary entry, the townspeople had also whispered about the house being haunted, suggesting that the location wasn’t so secret after all.

Large boot impressions led to the shed and chicken coop. Chad stepped into them on the way to the shed, trying to avoid disturbing the grass seed. Jason opened the shed door, revealing cleanliness and additions since the day they’d been gardening. The shelves contained a new hose with a watering nozzle attached, a pair of cloth pink gloves, two white ceramic pots, power tools, garden shears, putty for patching holes, and other essentials. As with the rest of the house, no bugs were in sight, and it looked like Jason had made an effort to seal the gaps in the shed walls with planks of wood. Leftover planks were propped against the shelving.

“You did a great job in here. We have what we need to get the walls and floor patched up.”

Smiling at the puffed-out chest, he limped to the shelf and grabbed the watering can, grateful that his tender ass didn’t receive a squeeze as he passed Jason. The grass seed had to be watered too, but Chad wanted to get that shopping trip over with as early as possible to minimize the amount of gawkers. Jason offered him another helping hand, worried about his walking difficulties, and Chad accepted the offer. Falling face first into the dirt wasn’t on his to-do list. Jason led him to the faucet and turned the knob, then jogged to the chicken coop. Chad set the can down and turned to the backyard, watching Jason unlatch the door and retrieve the water dish. The chickens were happily scratching at the dirt, not bothered in the slightest by the heavy footsteps.

The watering can was full by the time Jason returned. Chad reached for the handle, but Jason grabbed it with a stern look, flicking his eyes to the bandage.

“It doesn’t hurt that much anymore.”

The truth was, it had only been two days since cutting his hand, and holding stuff did pain him. Regardless, his attempt at reassurance did nothing. Whenever Jason entered his mother hen mode, seemingly at random, trying to reassure him was like talking to a brick wall. He refilled the water dish and carried it, along with the can, to the chicken coop. Sighing loudly, Chad followed the footprints, transitioning from a limp to a waddle as his legs regained their strength. Jason placed the dish into the coop and closed the door. The chickens had enough food to last them for a week.

Chad unlatched the larger door to the chickens’ enclosure and stepped inside, not quite sure what to do next. Could they just be picked up like a cat? He’d never had any pets of his own because his mom had been vocal about her dislike of animal hair on her expensive suits. Plus there had been the smell issue, which he hadn’t been keen about either. As he knelt in the dirt, he noticed that the chickens didn't have much of a scent to them. A bit musty, but he wouldn’t think twice about holding them. A shower would be taken later anyway. He petted the soft neck feathers of Chicken Pox with the back of his fingers, and she closed her eyes. Within seconds, Mother Clucker was strutting closer, and he used his other hand to give her some gentle strokes. Jason was motionless outside of the cage, the watering can at his feet.

“If you can stroke a cock without breaking it, you’ll be fine with a hen.”

Jason ducked under the doorway and squatted, his huge size eliminating the risk of the chickens getting past him. They immediately abandoned Chad, one strutting to Jason and the other flapping her wings to flutter onto his thigh. His eyes widened in wonder, looking at Chad and then back to the chickens. He petted them gingerly on the back of their necks, earning himself a few contented clucks.

“Traitors.” Chad smiled and stood up, dusting his knees off. “I’ll water the vegetable garden.”

Jason moved his upper body slightly, enabling Chad to squeeze by and leave the enclosure. He grabbed the watering can and waddled to the garden. Nothing had changed. The soil was very crumbly, and no seeds or weeds were sprouting. He sprinkled water over the whole area, forgetting where he’d planted everything. There were no markers except for the tomato cages. Getting the vegetables to grow would likely be a lost cause with the poor soil quality, but there was no harm in trying. He just hoped the buried corpse wasn’t located anywhere near here. That sort of flavoring wasn’t what he was looking for.

The chickens were still enjoying being pampered when Chad finished with the garden. Lowering the can, he wiped his arm across his sweaty forehead. It had to be at least 7am, and the stores would be opening soon. He had to take a shower, get dressed, and do something about this hair. That always took a while.

“I’m heading inside to take a shower. You coming?”

Jason shook his head and pointed at his cock. It wouldn’t be a wise choice to take a shower together. He would take one later.

“All right. See you later.”

Chad raised a hand before making the long trek to the back door. It was going to be a real treat to waddle his way through the stores, as if the bruises wouldn’t attract enough attention. Would Jason even want him to go out by himself? But the roof of the car would be too low for someone of his size, and police would surely be patrolling the roads. On the plus side, the bikers would no longer be a problem, assuming more hadn’t taken their place. Those three hadn’t been the only riffraff that roamed the streets.

He opened the door and slowly stepped inside, feeling like a decrepit old man. If sex was happening tonight, which he doubted, it wouldn’t be with the knot. In fact, he didn’t want to imagine anything going inside his ass. As he gripped the bannister with both hands, it took every ounce of strength to get his legs moving again. He was only halfway up the stairs when the back door creaked and slammed shut, followed by footsteps stomping towards him. Jason rushed to his assistance, gripping his waist gently. It didn’t help the speed matter much, but at least Chad had the assurance that he wouldn’t fall sideways and crack his head open.

His feet left the floor, and the last few steps were cleared in a second as Jason lifted him up and set him down. Mumbling a weary thanks, Chad dragged himself towards the bedroom. Jason followed him into the closet like a stoic guardian, watching him sift through the clothing in the dim light. Choosing dark purple pants, a lighter purple shirt, a black belt, and yet another pair of black shoes, Chad carried them in his arms and headed for the bathroom, getting socks from a dresser drawer on the way. Everything was unceremoniously dumped onto the floor with his other clothing from last night. As quickly as the clothes touched the tiles, Jason was picking them up and placing them onto the counter to prevent them from getting dirty.

“Sorry. I don’t know where my motivation is today.”

He did know. The sooner he got ready, the sooner he would have to make a public appearance. Jason took the hesitation as being pain-related, and he lifted Chad’s shirt up to his chest to help him get undressed. Smiling at the thoughtfulness, Chad raised his arms, allowing the shirt to be removed. After putting it with the rest of the clothes to be washed, Jason dropped to a knee and gripped each dirty shoe, carefully sliding them off. He grabbed the waistband of the shorts and looked up for permission to pull them down. Chad nodded and stepped out of them, and Jason quickly rose before his hot breath could touch any sensitive areas.

The smile turned into a grin as Chad stepped around Jason to the bathtub. Plunking himself down on the edge, he began to run the water, his grin leaving in a flash. He had to get Sabrina’s workers here as soon as possible to replace the pipes. It was getting so stale to watch brown water spew out of the faucet. But it wouldn't be a great idea to invite a bunch of men into the house while Jason was in a state of rage. And what would it take to get rid of the red? Letting the people at the Jarvis House get killed? Finding Chris at the nuthouse and letting Jason have his revenge?

“I need to go shopping for light bulbs and a few other things after this. Is that okay?”

Jason nodded firmly, and Chad neutralized the look of surprise before it crossed his face. That had been easier than expected. Then again, although Jason was the possessive type, he wasn’t an absolute control freak. He knew how eager Chad had been to leave the mansion for good, and a repeat of that prison situation wouldn’t be healthy for the mind. Having a job seemed to be out of the question, judging from Jason’s reaction last night, but Chad was free to go out whenever he wished.

“Thanks. I’ll try to get back quickly.”

Chad stood up and turned to the tub, activating the shower. His bare ass was too tempting this time, receiving the most gentle squeeze Jason could manage. Shaking his head, Chad stepped into the tub and pulled the curtain closed. An exaggerated sigh was heard over the pelting of the water, then a chuckle. Leather creaked and fabric rustled. Seconds later, a warm body was behind him, touching his skin briefly before pulling away to a safer distance. The sight of his ass alone was always enough to make Jason hard, so this didn’t seem like a great idea either. Too late now. Chad quickly faced him and started to wash himself. He’d forgotten to grab another shower gel from the cabinet, but Jason had planned ahead. A vanilla-scented one was gripped in his hand. His cock was still soft, but for how long?

Jason plus smirking never amounted to anything good. He poured a blob of gel into his other hand and set the bottle onto the side of the tub. His hands slid over his pecs with tantalizing slowness, and despite the lukewarm temperature of the water, the bathroom suddenly felt as if it was becoming a boiler room. They moved lower, along the hard ridges of his abs, and paused right above the monster. It was so long and thick, even in a softened state. Realizing his mouth was agape and his hands were frozen against his chest, Chad promptly closed his mouth and resumed washing himself. His eyes darted around, not staying anywhere for too long. But with a massive guy now standing so close to him, where else could he look?

Slowly turning around, Jason exposed his backside. The round ass drew Chad’s attention immediately, and he bit his lip as he stared at it. This was an ass that Chad could only dream of having, he had to admit. It was like three times the size of his own, if not more. He reached out, his hands hovering mere inches away from it while Jason continued to wash his front. One day, perhaps Jason would be willing to... he hadn’t thrown the second prostate massager across the room after discovering it. Their roles in sex were clear, with a bit of leeway as last night had proven, but Chad wondered how far he could take his own role. Having Jason submit and be pleasured in other ways would be a wondrous experience.

The rapidly cooling water reminded Chad that the time for ogling had run its course. He faced the front of the tub and grabbed the bottle of gel, squeezing a liberal amount into his palm. His hands flew over his body, accompanied by stinging pain as soap seeped through the bandage. Hearing the soft whimper that resulted, Jason abandoned his washing and helped Chad with his back, then slid his hands lower.

“Don’t even think about touching my—”

Large hands cupped his ass, kneading it gently. The feeling was rather pleasant, though Chad wouldn’t admit it out loud. Humming to himself, he tried to act nonchalant, fully suppressing the shudder as a fingertip traced his hole. The long nails were a blessing, preventing any invasion attempts. The hands moved to his front, lathering his nether regions, but not with the intent to tease. They didn’t linger long enough to get him hard. After everything was rinsed, Chad stepped onto the bathmat, giving Jason full access to the water. He pulled a towel off the rack and dried his hair roughly, then swiped it over his body. He had to get dressed before Jason was done. His cock had survived the naked god, but it was better not to tempt fate.

As luck would have it, Chad was fastening the last few buttons when the water was turned off. He squatted and transferred the cabin key, car keys, and his wallet into his pocket. Standing up with an audible crack of his knees, he examined his reflection. The purple shirt really brought out the bruises nicely, and his wild hair added to the beauty. With more luck, no one would recognize him. He brushed his teeth, gagging at the metallic taste, then focused his efforts on removing the soggy bandage. The wounds were still healing well. He tossed the long strip into the wastebasket and retrieved the first aid kit from the medicine cabinet. Jason took it from his hand, now dressed in his pants and boots. He liked going shirtless in the heat and Chad wished he could do the same, but the chest carving would only draw more attention. Chad was also pretty buff himself, and the girls wouldn't be able to survive the sight without fainting.

Jason carefully wrapped the bandage around Chad's hand and affixed it with a piece of tape. Before the words of praise could come forth, he scooped Chad up and carried him out of the bathroom. Jason also wanted this shopping trip to be over with quickly. Everything became a blur, and when Chad finally realized what was happening, he was already at the front door. He’d just been shifted. Jason’s control over his abilities had greatly improved. He must’ve been practicing around the house yesterday.

“That was... interesting. So you can morph _and_ shift with a passenger.”

Jason lowered him to the floor and unlocked the door. As he pulled it open, a grunt of surprise left him. His axe, three granola bars, a newspaper dated July 20, a handwritten note, and an apron inside an evidence bag were lying on the mat in a row. The sharp edge of the axe was still caked with dried blood, and the head was covered in another evidence bag, held in place with a rubber band around the handle. He squatted and checked underneath the newspaper, searching for the notepad and speedo, but they weren’t there. Whoever had taken them—and Chad was fairly certain it was Roy—had deemed them too valuable to return.

“The surprises just keep piling up.”

Jason put the smaller items onto the newspaper and tucked it against his body, gripping the axe with his other hand. He turned and pointed down the hallway, then closed the door firmly, saying he didn’t want Chad to leave yet. The items had to be investigated before the shopping trip.

“Agreed.”

Chad walked with him to the kitchen and sat on a chair, leaning over to upright the one that had been knocked over. Jason sat on it and laid each item on the table. Picking up the clear evidence bag, he slid the rubber band off and pulled the axe out. John Doe was written on the red label. He examined the blade and handle closely, grunting with satisfaction. There was no question about it. This was his axe and not any old thing that someone had planted into a bag. He put the bloody blade on the plastic to avoid getting the table dirty.

The granola bars were bent into odd shapes, but they seemed to have survived going underwater when Jason had rinsed the blood off his clothes in the lake. He unwrapped one of them and held it up to his nose, taking a few whiffs. Shrugging, he took a big bite and devoured the other half in another, licking his lips afterward. They were still edible, so why waste? Some of the tension left Chad’s body as he realized that the notepad might not have been so lucky. Maybe it had gotten waterlogged, making the text indecipherable.

Jason grabbed the apron bag and smiled, recognizing it right away. In the Packanack Lodge kitchen, the strawberries and whipped cream snack had turned into something more. Chad had forgotten to burn the apron with the rest of the evidence. With a thorough washing, it could be usable again. Jason put it down and picked up the note that was written on a small square of white paper.

_G&C_  
_ WCMH_

He tapped a nail on the paper and looked at Chad for assistance in understanding it.

Chad shrugged. “No idea. I’ll have to think about it.”

Jason lowered the note and swept the items aside with an arm. He unfolded the newspaper and leaned closer to read the fine print.

_Body of “Friday the 13th Murderer” Missing: Feared Stolen from Wessex Morgue_

_The bloody saga of the Friday the 13th killer, who residents are now calling Jason Voorhees, has seemingly come to an end. Over the past week, a total of 29 people have gone missing or have been found dead. Police suspect that a copycat killer may be involved in the most recent murders of a hitchhiker and two morgue workers._

The article was lengthy, detailing the police efforts to apprehend the person responsible for the supposed theft of the body. Jason didn’t seem interested in it, as he hadn’t read past the first paragraph, though he’d smiled when he’d seen his name. The article below it covered the massacre at Higgins Haven. At the mention of Chris, his eyes narrowed. The newspaper became a crumpled ball of paper and was tossed into the trash. He leaned his elbows on the table, his face half-hidden by his folded hands as he stared at the note.

“The person who brought the items... I think they might be a friend.”

Jason’s only response was to flick his eyes to the axe. Friend or not, that person would die if they returned. No one came here without permission.

“Well, I’m heading out. Be back soon.”

Chad stood up and pressed a light kiss on Jason’s head. It wasn’t acknowledged. Whatever Jason was thinking about, his thoughts were consuming everything else. This strange occurrence was also occupying Chad’s mind as he walked out of the kitchen towards the front door. How did Roy know where the house was located? Chad had checked the car mirror constantly to ensure he hadn’t been followed during the drive home last night. The house’s location had to have been known prior to then.

He opened the door and closed it behind him. Blinking against the glare of the sun, he scanned his surroundings. There were no other tire tracks aside from those belonging to his convertible and the van. Of course there wouldn’t be. Jason would’ve heard a car driving through the woods long before it arrived. Footsteps, on the other hand... they would have to be very soft, considering the bedroom window was open. And yet there were only two sets of footprints that extended from the middle of the yard to the front door.

“Another mystery. Just what I needed.”

Rolling his eyes, Chad unlocked the driver’s door and entered. His appearance was even more ghastly in natural light. Maybe he’d wrapped his scarf too tightly? Maybe he’d fallen and hit his face on a rock? No, there were plenty of stupid people in Crystal Lake, but no one would fall for that. And word around town traveled like wildfire. By now, everyone would know about the abuse he’d suffered. The only option was to stand tall.

He started the car and reversed, giving himself enough room to turn around, and then he was on the road again. The minutes ticked by uneventfully as he passed miles of dense forest, heading for the hardware store, which was across from the convenience store. Police cars were parked on the side of the road at various intervals, their owners not in sight. The article had implied that the counselors’ bodies hadn’t all been discovered.

The crazy old man who’d flung the eyeball must’ve found Jenny’s head somewhere. And therefore Jason had opted to hide some of the bodies in places other than the lake at Packanack. Why though? It would’ve been easier to leave them, aside from the soggy ones at the lodge. Perhaps he’d learned a few tricks from his mother about hiding corpses to avoid getting caught, but it wasn’t like the police possessed advanced methods of identification yet. The jizz-covered apron hadn’t been burned, yet Dorf hadn’t asked about it. Years down the road, when such methods were available...

“Thanks, Roy. Or whoever the fuck brought them home.”

Chad turned into the parking lot of the hardware store and parked in front. It was the same small size as the convenience store, but it carried the essentials. Only one other vehicle was parked there, belonging to the owner. As he entered the store, he was greeted with a wide-eyed stare from the elderly man behind the counter.

“What happened to you, young man?”

“Pissed off the wrong people.” Snatching ten packages of light bulbs, two lockable doorknobs, and two deadbolts, he carried them to the counter. “I’ll take the ten gas cans over there too.” They would last maybe a week with light electricity usage, and he could already tell that this was going to become a real hassle. A hermit existence wouldn’t be possible if he had to go out constantly for gas. And with this heat, the damn things could explode in his car on the way home.

The man punched in the prices on his calculator. “Fifty-five dollars.”

Chad pulled out his wallet and flipped through the thick wad, which was almost ripping the leather. His mom had give him mostly hundred-dollar bills, but thankfully he had a few twenties. Placing three of them onto the counter, he waved away the offer of change and pocketed his wallet. With the plastic bag in hand, he strode to his car and leaned inside, pressing the button to lower the roof of the convertible. Fresh air would stop the cans from overheating once they were filled. He put the bag on the passenger seat and went back into the store for the cans, requiring five trips to load them into the rear seats.

Sitting down heavily in the driver’s seat, he fished the keys out of his pocket and started the car. Shopping usually brightened his mood, but he just wanted to get back home and make sure Jason was all right. He drove across the street to the gas station. The pimply-faced teen made a reappearance, carrying that familiar unwashed scent. His brown eyes shined with admiration as he whistled at the convertible.

“What do you need?”

“Fill up the gas cans in the back. If I see a single drop spill on the leather, you’re paying for the damage.”

He nodded solemnly. Taking the keys out of the ignition, Chad pocketed them and exited the car. He placed his hands on his hips and kept a close watch over the teen. Each gas can was removed, set onto the pavement, filled carefully, wiped with a rag, and put back in. The tall trees behind the buildings provided large shadows that stretched across the road, preventing the cans from being exposed to direct sunlight.

“Sixty bucks.” The teen accepted the money Chad gave him, knowing better than to ask for a handout that wouldn’t come. “Hey, you can’t just leave your car—”

“Watch me,” Chad called over his shoulder, striding to the convenience store entrance. He pulled the door open and stepped inside, stopping dead in his tracks.

“Shelly?”

Shelly looked up from his Playboy magazine, featuring a brunette in a rancher’s outfit. He was wearing a blue and white plaid shirt and blue slacks, the same clothes he’d worn on the day of the massacre. “Chad? Is that you?”

“Yeah.” Chad remained where he was, his mental shopping list flying out of his head. Why was he so surprised? Shelly lived nearby, so it wasn’t abnormal for him to shop at this store. Still, of all the people to encounter, and this soon after the massacre...

Shelly slid the magazine into the holder and waved Chad over. The confidence flew away just as quickly as the shopping list had. Taking slow steps, Chad closed the distance. At the barn, he’d referenced Jason by name, telling him to open his eyes. Shelly could’ve been within hearing range, and he’d seen Jason trying to kill his friends. How could this encounter possibly go well?

Grabbing Chad’s left hand, Shelly pulled him to the soft drink section at the back of the store and then released it. He gestured with his head to the cashier, who was pretending to inspect her red nails but clearly listening. “They sent Chris to the Wessex County Mental Hospital,” he whispered. “She’s gone nuts, Chad.”

Wessex County Mental Hospital. WCMH. G&C... Ginny and Chris. Roy was more trouble than Chad had initially thought.

“I knew about the second part. Heard her laughing like a hyena when you guys were leaving with the canoe.”

“Listen, uh...” Shelly scratched his head. “I didn’t tell the cops about anything important.”

“Thanks. I have enough to worry about with Officer Dorf on my ass.”

Shelly chuckled. “That guy can be a handful. He came back to my house and asked me the same questions he probably asked you.” His smile faded, becoming a frown. “About the... something happened in the barn.”

“Yeah. Something did happen.”

Chad turned to the aisles, ignoring the glaring gas attendant near the door. Besides gas, what else had he come here for? Cleaning supplies? Right. He’d only purchased dish soap on the previous trip. Heading to the front of the store, he grabbed a basket and began to stuff it with random bottles, sponges, scrubbers, rubber gloves, laundry soap, and other necessities.

“You look like hell by the way,” Shelly whispered from behind. “Sorry.”

“Yeah. I know that too.”

Shelly moved beside him and rocked on the heels of his shoes, looking sheepish as he fiddled with his hands. “Have you had anything for breakfast? I thought maybe... Diana makes really good pancakes at Joey B’s.” Considering that Shelly's friends had just gotten murdered, it wasn’t surprising that he was seeking company. But friendship with a guy who’d played a role in his friends’ deaths? That part was hard to believe.

“I can’t stay for long. Got gas cans in the car.”

“Oh,” Shelly said softly, his shoulders drooping. “Look, I don’t blame you for what happened to them. You didn’t know the masked guy was the Jason Voorhees. He tried to help you with those assholes, and... that’s all it was, right?”

Chad brought the basket to the cashier and nodded at Shelly. “That’s all it was. Even killers can have a good heart sometimes.” He didn’t care that she was hearing every word. What he was saying was consistent with what he’d told the cops about Jason being a vigilante.

The cashier calculated the total and placed the items into a paper bag. “That’ll be eighteen dollars and fifty cents.”

Chad slapped a twenty on the counter. “Keep the change.” On second thought, he put another twenty on the counter. “For my friend here. Help yourself to those magazines, Shelly.” The gesture was hardly repayment for getting his friends killed, but Chad felt bad about brushing Shelly off so quickly.

Shelly beamed at him, smiling so widely that his eyes nearly disappeared. “Thanks, Chad.” He jogged to the magazine rack and pulled some off, starting with Playboy.

“See you later.”

“See you,” Shelly echoed.

Chad wrapped an arm around the bag and left the store, stopping dead in his tracks once again. It couldn’t be, but it was. On the far left side of the parking lot, emerging from the driver’s seat of a dark blue Buick Regal, was Roy. Wearing a black t-shirt and black jeans, he wasn’t dressed in his uniform. The sleeves hugged his biceps, and his tight jeans showed off a package that was actually quite impres... wait. It was wrong to be looking there. Chad thawed from his frozen state and strode to his car, squeezing the bag onto the floor among the sea of gas cans.

His peripheral vision revealed Roy leaning against the driver’s door, arms crossed as he stared across the parking lot. Heart beating rapidly, Chad weighed his options. He could head home and pretend he hadn’t seen Roy, or he could ask him about the missing items from Jason’s pocket. Roy was testing him to see if he was brave enough for a confrontation. That had to be the reason. If Roy had come here to shop, he wouldn’t just be standing there.

Mustering his courage, Chad stood as tall as he could and turned to Roy. He walked there briskly, swinging his arms and trying to look more confident than he felt. He stopped two feet in front of Roy and swallowed. The cold blue eyes looked over him from head to toe, then back up, settling on his bruised cheek.

“It was you, wasn’t it?” Chad asked.

A corner of Roy's mouth quirked up for a second. "I done nothin'."

As much as Chad hated to admit it, he was prepared to get down on his knees and beg if that was required to secure this man's silence. "Please. Just don't show the speedo or notepad to anyone. I'll do anything."

"Should be careful what y'say." Roy leaned forward until his mouth was beside Chad's ear. The woodsy scent of cologne overpowered everything else. "A man could take that offer literally."

Chad's cheeks flared as he jerked his head back, realization suddenly dawning about how close he was standing to Roy. “I meant... I didn’t mean...”

The blue eyes lost some of their coldness, sweeping over his rosy face with a slight twinkle, and a half-smile appeared. Roy brushed by him and walked to the convenience store, his stride long and confident. Chad’s hands balled into fists at the nerve of this man. To just walk away after it had taken this much courage to approach him?

“He... he didn’t do anything bad to me. He’d never hurt me.”

The door opened and closed as Roy disappeared into the store. Throwing his hands up exasperatedly, Chad sighed and strode back to his car, pulling the keys out of his pocket. The only way this day could get any stranger was if that creature climbed up the ladder or stalked up the stairs tonight. Perhaps that would be next. Hopefully the thing could be killed. If not, home wouldn't be a home anymore with monsters creeping about.

Looking at the sky, he watched the dark clouds moving in the far distance. A storm was coming, and this time, Crystal Lake wouldn’t be spared from its fury. Of that he was certain. He entered the car, turned the key in the ignition, and began the drive back home to where his love was waiting.


	9. Dreams

_“Find them, Jason. Find them and kill them before they kill your boy.”_

Sleep hadn’t been restful last night. A nightmare had plagued Jason, and every time he’d awakened and went back to sleep, it had continued. As he sat at the kitchen table, waiting for Chad to return, he tried to push the memories of the nightmare away. But Mother, or whoever was talking, wouldn’t let him. The voice sounded like it belonged to Mother, but he couldn’t be sure anymore. He could be a crazy boy.

_“They’re going to kill him if you don’t act. They will lure him into their house and take him away from you. Don’t kill them for Mommy, Jason. Kill them to protect your boy. Mommy had to do that for you, and now you must do that for him.”_

Why would they want to kill Chad? Samantha hadn’t pulled him under the water. Sara had looked at Chad often, but she hadn’t made a move on him. Doug, Jimmy, and Paul hadn’t interacted with Chad much, but Ted was jealous of him because of those two sluts. They reminded Jason of the other slut at Packanack. The one who’d been mean to Chad at the campfire, laughing at him with the rest of the counselors and exposing herself.

The people at the Jarvis residence didn’t seem mean, for the most part. Tracy had given Chad food, and Trish was always smiling, though Mother hadn’t liked the length of her shorts. Rob was snoopy, always asking questions and looking at him, and Tommy was... Jason didn’t want to think about Tommy. He was a bad boy.

_“That's right. He’s a bad boy and so are the rest. They’re all bad boys and girls who think of nothing but sex, just like the counselors. My special boy knows that in his heart. That’s why he wants to kill them, doesn’t he?”_

Sex wasn’t always bad. When Jason had been small, he’d asked Mother about babies, and she’d said they came from people who love each other. There were exceptions to this rule. Two boys couldn’t have babies and sometimes people didn’t have to love each other to have a baby. She hadn’t provided details, but she’d mentioned being hurt by bad men. That kind of sex was dirty and so was the sex the counselors had. Their job had been to watch the kids and keep them safe, so they shouldn’t have been thinking about sex. Not even when the kids had been sleeping. What if one of them had awakened and wandered somewhere dangerous?

For people who weren’t counselors, it didn’t matter what they did in their spare time. They were just ants in a big world, unless they were sluts like the babysitters that had come and gone after his birth. So what if people had sex? Jason enjoyed it nearly every day since meeting Chad, and yet it bothered him every time he saw or heard it happening. Sex reminded him of that day, many years ago, and it never ceased to evoke rage inside him. His beliefs were contradictory, but he couldn’t help the way he felt about the topic. This love he shared with Chad was different than everything else. It was special, and nothing else could compare.

If only he could have the whole town for himself and Chad. Just eradicate everyone until it was a ghost town. Then the red would surely go away, and instead of being stuck in a house, Jason would be free to go anywhere and do anything he wanted with his boy. This house had been a cage. A peaceful one, but he’d been denied the freedom that other kids had. They’d gone shopping with their mothers, met friends at school, had fun at the playground, read books in the library... but even a peaceful life in a cage would be better if Chad was with him. That boy offered love and friendship that no mother could.

A horn honked in the distance, signalling Chad’s arrival. Jason hadn’t even reacted to the goodbye kiss, and that had been a rude thing for him to do. Every kiss should be treasured after such a long period without them. This time, he would surprise Chad with a kiss on the lips at the right moment.

Jason jogged to the front door and whipped it open just as Chad was exiting the car. It looked different than before. With no roof, Jason would be more comfortable when sitting, but driving around town with Chad wasn’t an option anymore. Now the townspeople knew the name of Jason Voorhees. They knew who was responsible for the killings. Jason wanted them to remember him, yet he also wanted them to forget. When he’d gone out with Mother in her car, it had been nice to feel the breeze on his face and watch the scenery fly by. Nice until the horrified people had pointed at his ugly face through their car windows. Crystal Lake would definitely be a better place if it was empty. Maybe he really should kill them all.

“We should get these gas cans out of the sun before they explode.” Chad walked to the rear seats and grabbed a can in each hand, biting his lip against the pain. He turned to Jason, his face returning to a neutral expression. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll manage.”

It wasn’t only gas that Jason could smell. A different scent surrounded Chad, reminding Jason of the forest. It overpowered the vanilla shower gel, getting stronger as Jason stepped closer. He leaned down and sniffed the side of Chad’s neck.

“One of the guys in the store was wearing way too much cologne. It left a cloud wherever he went.”

Chad’s eyes were darting everywhere. He was lying. A man had gotten close to him. Close enough for the scent to cling to his skin. He strode towards the left side of the house where the generator was located, no longer limping or waddling. Perhaps he needed another lesson tonight about who he belonged to. No, he knew. He was just too pretty, even with messy hair and bruises, so people couldn’t stay away from him. It wasn’t his fault.

Taking deep breaths, Jason grabbed two gas cans and followed Chad to the big generator. He lowered them to the ground and held up a hand, asking Chad to wait here while the other six were retrieved.

Chad nodded. “I’ll see if I can figure out where to put the gas.”

Jason shifted back to the car, pausing as he looked at the dirt road extending between the trees. Last night, he hadn’t heard anyone driving through here, but the items couldn’t have appeared out of nowhere. Someone had delivered them, and that meant someone knew where home was located. There were two sets of footsteps: one set belonging to Chad, and another that could only belong to himself. No other boy wore boots as large as his own. Jason jogged to the middle of the yard and stepped into a print facing the house. These tracks had to be from when he’d brought the bed pieces home and helped Chad with the other items from the van.

In his years of hunting counselors, plus the occasional animal for food, Jason had learned how to track more than the origins of sounds. His sense ability was helpful, but he didn't rely on it for everything. He was capable of discovering who or what had been in an area and where they’d been going. Sometimes there were disturbances in the environment. He turned to the forest and examined the void that stretched from the middle of the yard onward. A smart person wouldn’t have used the road, knowing their footprints could be followed. They would’ve cut through the forest. But how could their footprints have disappeared on the way to the front door and back?

He jogged to the beginning of the road and stood in the middle, looking left and then right. A person standing to his right would’ve been able to see into the bedroom to some degree, even through the lace curtains. The candles had been flickering on the dresser adjacent to the window. And the sounds... Jason smiled. The sounds of his little mate getting claimed would’ve surely traveled through the otherwise quiet night.

His smile disappeared as he spotted a large footprint in the dirt, directly across from the bedroom window. A missing branch was above the footprint. The person had swept their tracks in the yard to hide them, but it would’ve taken too long to eliminate the footprints through the forest. It stretched for a mile from here to Camp Crystal Lake.

The person who’d delivered the items wasn’t a friend. A friend wouldn’t have kept the speedo and notepad for themselves. This person was making a point. They knew where the house was located and could cause trouble with the cops if they wanted to. But they weren’t an enemy either. An enemy wouldn’t have returned any of the items, and the note hadn’t been threatening.

It was pointless to worry about it now. The only thing he could do was keep a closer watch on the house at night in case the man returned. If that happened, there would be one outcome. The man would have to die for coming here without permission. But how would he obtain that permission? Jason shrugged and jogged to the car, tucking the rest of the gas cans in his arms. The details didn’t matter. He was glad to have his axe back, but home should be a place where Chad felt safe. He wouldn’t feel safe if there was a risk of men coming here while Jason was gone. Even a nice man could turn bad when a beautiful boy was involved.

Jason carried the gas cans to Chad and set them onto the ground. The others were empty. Mother had always warned him not to come here, saying the generator was dangerous, but Chad had figured out how to use it. He emptied the rest of the gas into a hole, careful not to spill any, and replaced the cap.

“This thing has a huge capacity. If I could somehow get gas delivered, we wouldn’t need more for a while.” Chad put the empty cans into a small storage shed beside the unit. “It baffles me how the generator still had gas inside it after five years.”

Mother had turned the generator off before she’d gone to Camp Crystal Lake. Perhaps she’d known that she wouldn't return, or maybe she’d done it to conserve gas while she'd been away. Jason had watched her when he’d been a ghost. Before he’d brought Chad here to see the house for the first time, he’d turned the generator on.

“I have a few bags in the car.”

Jason grabbed Chad’s uninjured hand and pointed down the side of the house to the forest. He didn’t want Chad to get worried about the man who’d been here, but at the same time, it would be better for Chad to know so he could be prepared too.

“You have something you want to show me?”

Jason nodded and led Chad towards the footprint. Chad was recovering rapidly, considering what he’d had inside him last night. Maybe he would be ready for more fun tonight. Another knotting session? It had been so pleasurable to have the knot pop inside and watch him try to escape at first. Despite the initial pain, Chad had wanted more, initiating the second round. But if he didn’t want to play with the sheath again, that was fine. He could choose the toys this time to make things more interesting.

Chad circled to the back of the footprint and squatted to examine the size of the boot. A pink blush spread across his face as he looked up at the window. “So someone was... maybe they were watching or listening to us.” He stood up, his gaze shifting to the smaller window on the right. “No, they wouldn’t have been able to see us. We were at the end of the bed, which is between the windows. And the smaller one is higher than the bed’s position. Even when we were sitting at the headboard and reading the book, they couldn’t see us from this angle.”

He was correct. Even if the person had been able to see through the lace curtains, the only thing they would’ve seen was the dresser and flickering light from the candles. The window to the right didn’t have a curtain, but it was only a foot tall and had frosted glass.

Chad pointed at the third window, positioned higher and between the two others. “I never noticed that one before. Is there an attic?”

Jason nodded. Mother had told him to never go into the attic. There used to be a hatch located in the upstairs hallway, but she’d sealed it and painted it white to match the rest of the ceiling.

“I didn’t notice any access points upstairs.” Chad pointed at the tall tower to the right of the house. It had a white balcony with a sloped roof at the top, and a wooden door at the bottom. “Funny how I never noticed that either. Everything looks so different in the daytime.”

Jason had visited the tower before bringing Chad here, but the spider situation had been the worst out of the whole house, and the winding stairs were dangerous. One of them had broken when he’d tested it, so he hadn’t shown the tower to Chad. When Chad had been at the Jarvis residence, Jason had killed as many spiders as he could with his limited reach. Many more remained, and until they were gone, he didn’t want Chad to get scared. Some of the webs extended from the top of the tower to the bottom. Although Jason wasn’t afraid of spiders, he didn’t like having a face full of webs. Chad would have a heart attack if he walked in there.

Creeping his fingertips over the back of Chad’s neck, Jason told him not to go into the tower until it was safe. If Chad went in there by himself, he might not come out again. He shivered, receiving the message immediately.

“Spiders. Danger. Got it.” Chad looked down at the footprint between his feet, his expression returning to a neutral state. If he had any ideas about the footprint's owner, he wasn’t sharing them. Whoever it was, they were much larger than him. A small man wouldn’t wear boots that big. “Well, we better get the bags inside.”

Jason jogged to the car, easily surpassing Chad’s walk. He pulled the paper bag off the floor and wrapped an arm around it, then grabbed the plastic one. The front door was still open, and as he continued towards it, he hoped no bugs had entered. So much effort had gone into preventing Chad from getting munched.

“I’ll join you after I raise the car's roof.”

The hallway was surprisingly clear, despite the vines starting to spread on the roof over the front door. After seeing their friends get killed, the bugs knew invading was pointless unless they had a death wish. It was a pity the counselors were never that smart. Jason brought the bags into the kitchen and set them onto the table. The vanilla cake was still on the counter, tempting him to have another slice, but he needed to eat a balanced diet. Too much sugar was bad for the body and would make his teeth fall out. He put the cake back into the fridge just as Chad entered the kitchen.

“Guess we should fix the floor first. Want me to get the planks from the shed?”

Jason shook his head and pointed at the paper bag on the table. Chad could put the cleaning supplies away while the floor was being fixed.

“Sounds good. If you need any help, let me know.”

Jason morphed in front of the shed. This door was also open, and unlike the house, the shed hadn’t been spared from a bug invasion. Spiders were already building webs, flies were buzzing around, and ants were looking for food. The structure was small, with a length and width of five feet, so it wouldn’t take long to get clean again. Jason grabbed three wooden planks, a hammer, and a box of nails. He left the shed and nudged the door closed with his boot. Chad heard him jogging to the back door and opened it for him, stepping aside so Jason could squeeze through. Jason had been small when he’d lived here with Mother, but now he had to duck under the doorways, and his shoulders were nearly as wide as the frame.

“I already put the stuff under the sink, so I’ll help fix the floor. I’m too short to change the light bulbs by myself.”

Jason smiled as he cut through the kitchen to the sitting room. It always amazed him how someone so big and someone so small could be compatible. A big boy with a tiny boy. His cock shouldn’t have fit in that body, but it did. Perfectly. Oh how nice it would be to feel the tight warmth again, squeezing each spurt out of him, deep inside the belly of his little...

“You’re getting hard yet again,” Chad muttered, grabbing the end of the table that was still upright. “How do you go from thinking about fixing stuff to getting a boner?”

Boner? It had to be a word for a cock getting hard. Jason shrugged and laid the items on the floor, then lifted the end that was stuck in the hole. Every day, he fell asleep with a hard cock and awakened with a hard cock, thinking of Chad. Jason had battled hardness at least twice today, and there would be many more times to come. That’s what happened when he’d spent eleven years with Mother and an old lady, twenty-two years as a ghost, and five years by himself without a boy to love. He hadn’t even stroked his cock once during that period, never feeling the urge. It had just been something hanging between his legs. Now it had a better purpose.

Chad licked his lips as he stared at the huge tent in Jason’s pants, protruding above the table. “Were you thinking of me just now?”

Jason nodded and helped Chad lift the table out of the way. His mate would definitely be wanting more cock later. Whenever Jason got hard, Chad couldn’t stop staring at it. And the lip licking made it seem like he wanted a taste right now. His belly could be filled using different methods.

Quickly averting his gaze, Chad released his end and knelt by the hole. He grabbed a plank and placed it over the back. He looked so cute when he blushed, especially as a blushing kitty. Maybe he would want to be a kitty again tonight, or a fox, with the addition of a pretty outfit. Jason knelt beside him and grabbed the hammer and two nails, using them to secure the plank to the floor. He did the same with the other two planks while Chad held them in place. The light-colored wood didn’t match the mahogany around it, but at some point, Jason hoped to replace the entire floor to keep Chad safe.

Chad rose to his feet and moved to the front of the table. To give him space, Jason grabbed the nail box off the floor and backed away to the kitchen. The floor screeched as Chad pushed the table over the wooden planks to its previous position.

“It’s not like we have to worry about scratching the floor more than it already is.”

He picked up the books that had fallen last night and placed them onto the table in a row. Jason brought the tools to the kitchen table and grabbed the monster book and dagger. He jogged back to Chad and laid them below the others. It wasn’t a good spot for these items, considering they were so dangerous, but that issue could be addressed later.

“We have a long time until it gets dark, but we might as well work on getting the light bulbs replaced next.” Chad turned to the chandelier and looked up, placing his hands on his hips. “Did this also burn out last night?”

Jason nodded. When he’d been in the basement, the chandelier had flickered rapidly and then died. He’d gone straight to the kitchen after morphing outside, so he hadn’t turned the switch to the off position. Chad noticed this and walked to the switch to flick it. He sighed and leaned against the wall.

“I forgot to check what size we needed. Didn’t get batteries for the kitchen clock either.”

Jason stared at the floor, hoping Chad wouldn’t go out again. It was lonely being in the house by himself, and he couldn’t accompany Chad to any stores. Not even to the store that sold the toys. The cops would be looking for a big boy in a mask.

“I don’t plan on going shopping today. We’ll have enough light once we replace the others, and I have my watches too.”

Aside from bringing Mother home, Jason had to leave to do something else today, but he couldn’t tell Chad. Not yet. For now, he wanted to have fun working as a team. He jogged to the kitchen and removed the packages of light bulbs from the plastic bag. There were twenty bulbs in total. Chad was too short to reach the lights in the house, but that’s when big boys could be helpful. Chad could pass the bulbs and Jason could screw them in.

“I'm hoping these are the right kind for the wall lights.” Chad pointed at the set of lights on either side of the doors leading to the other room. “Can you unscrew those for me?”

Each bulb was hidden under a small white lamp shade with gold trim, just above Jason’s eye level. He unscrewed one and then moved to the other side to do the second. Chad smiled at him and accepted the two bulbs. There wasn’t a prettier sight in the world when Chad was smiling, and while Jason had a lot on his mind, he smiled too. Jason loved being called a good boy because it was always accompanied by a warm expression, but actions could speak louder than words. Words of praise weren’t necessary when he only had to look at Chad to see the appreciation.

Chad turned a bulb over and wiped the thick layer of dust with the side of his hand. Jason had cleaned the outer parts of the lights, but not the inside. No markings were on the bulb. He didn’t know much about them because Mother had warned him not to play with them. His grip strength had been high, even as a little boy, and the glass could’ve shattered in his hand. It also got hot when the lights were turned on.

He shrugged and put the bulbs onto the table. “We’ll just have to try them and hope the house doesn’t go up in flames.” He removed two new bulbs from a box and handed them to Jason.

These bulbs were the same size and shape as the old ones, but there had to be more to take into consideration. Maybe some were stronger than others. Gripping them gently, Jason screwed them into the sockets and waited while Chad flicked the light switch by the kitchen doorway. The room was filled with bright yellow and there weren't any sizzling sounds, so the bulbs seemed to be the right kind.

“We’re good to go. Let's head upstairs and change the rest. I checked the hallway lights down here and they’re working fine.”

There were three lights in the upstairs hallway, one in the bedroom, and one in the bathroom. Two bulbs per package. Three packages were required, leaving one spare light bulb. Math hadn’t been one of his strong subjects, as he’d preferred reading, writing, and learning about the human body, but that was easy to figure out. Jason grabbed the packages and followed Chad upstairs. Mother’s bedroom door was still closed. He’d finished cleaning it yesterday, and though he’d wanted to show Chad what a great job he’d done, Alice’s body was starting to remind Jason of the girls that got away. Next time, he needed to kill them all so there would be no regrets.

The first light was located between Mother’s and Jason’s bedrooms. He gave two packages to Chad and opened the other. Remembering to be very gentle, Jason unscrewed the old bulb and swapped it with a new one from the package. This was like when he stroked Chad’s dick. If Jason wasn’t careful, he could break it. After screwing it in, he walked to the next light with Chad. It was between Jason’s old bedroom and new bedroom, and the light after that was between the bedroom and the bathroom.

“That was creepy stuff last night. It’s almost like we have ghosts in the house causing mischief. Remember when the book appeared on the table after it was on the basement hole?”

Jason nodded as he installed the bulb. The incident with the book had happened a few days ago. It had been strange, but last night was even more strange. He’d never witnessed any ghostly activity in the eleven years he’d spent living here, but he’d seen plenty of odd events after his death. Mother had been involved in bad things. His resurrection had been the only good thing to arise from her dark activities because it had enabled him to meet the love of his life.

“One more to go in the hallway. We make a great team as usual.”

Jason smiled and moved to the last light. It didn’t take more than one person to screw in a light bulb, but even simple moments like these were enjoyable. He took the bulb out and traded Chad for a new one, then screwed it in. Chad walked to the staircase and flicked the switch, illuminating the hallway. All of the lights in the house had the same style, with exception to the plain bulb in the basement, the chandelier in the sitting room, and the other plain bulb in Chad’s closet. If one worked, they should all work.

“We’ve been lucky so far. Just have our bedroom and the bathroom.”

Chad walked back to Jason and entered the bedroom. Jason paused in the doorway, staring at the jizzy blankets. Washing them was another thing that had to be added to the list. Sex was always messy, but he couldn’t help it. His cock always had so much love to give. Where did the jizz come from? His balls? Mother hadn’t taught him about that kind of stuff, having been extremely vague about the subject. Some body parts fit into other parts of the body. Maybe the massive jizz quantity was why his balls were huge. They had to store lots and make more for Chad to enjoy. And he loved it. Loved the feeling of each spurt getting pumped as deep as it could go.

A small hand waved in front of Jason’s face, grasping a light bulb. “Hello? Anyone there?” Chad’s eyes flicked to the boner, and his hand lowered. “Well that explains it.” He sighed and shook his head, trying not to smile, but his mouth kept twitching.

Jason grunted an apology for getting distracted. He couldn’t guarantee that it wouldn’t happen again, but he would try to stop thinking of Chad’s ass every few seconds. It was dangerous to walk behind him, look at his pretty face, or see traces of fun from sex.

The bedroom light was located halfway down the wall to the left of the bed. Within seconds, the bulb was replaced. Chad was still smiling as he waited for Jason to walk ahead of him. With a heavy sigh, Jason went first, heading for the bathroom. It was a smart idea, though Jason had caught Chad staring at his ass on some occasions too. Chad was usually afraid to touch him there, despite having a strong desire to do it during showers. The first few times had startled Jason because no one had squeezed his ass before, but he didn’t mind it now.

“Last one.”

This light was above the towel rack, between the cabinet and the counter. Everything in the bathroom was arranged on the left side except for the tub, which was at the back. After removing the bulb, he gave it to Chad and received the new one. As Jason screwed it in, Chad grabbed the leftover bulb and threw the packages into the wastebasket. His face was rosy, even with the limited exertion. Jason had forgotten to bring the fans from his shack home. There hadn’t been any electricity in his shack, but he’d collected them anyway in case they could be useful. Mother had a fan inside her closet that he could use to cool Chad down.

“I guess I’ll use this bulb for the closet. Do you feel like having lunch a bit early?”

Jason nodded. The slice of cake and granola bar hadn’t been enough to satisfy his hunger.

“Why don’t you pick something to eat while I bring this to the bedroom?”

Jason had the perfect idea for lunch. A chicken sandwich. He hadn’t eaten one since the day he’d drowned. He rushed out of the bathroom, jogging as fast as he could to the kitchen. From what he recalled, the fridge had a chicken breast package, lettuce, cucumbers, cheddar cheese, Caesar salad dressing, a jar of dill pickles, and butter. Water was also important in the heat. His mouth salivated as he yanked the door open and started to collect the ingredients. But what if he jizzed? That was a risk he had to take. His stomach was aching and growling like he hadn’t eaten any food in forever.

He placed the ingredients in front of the bread basket. Chad had purchased five brown buns that looked to be a foot long. Two or three sandwiches should be enough to satisfy the hunger, but barbecue chips would make the meal even better. Jason retrieved a bag from the pantry and put it with the rest of the food.

Chad needed to eat lots of food too or else he would shrink. Jason grabbed two plates and glasses, a butter knife, and a sharper knife for cutting the meat. The frying pan from breakfast was still dirty, so he grabbed a fresh one from the cupboard. He set it on the stove and tried to think if Chad required anything more to make lunch. Mother had used separate knives when cutting meat and vegetables because of bacteria. Jason opened the cutlery drawer and retrieved another, setting it on the wooden board. That should be everything. He turned around to the kitchen table, his eyes widening at the sight of Chad standing there. A gentle smile was on Chad’s face as he walked to the mountain of food on the counter.

“It's time for that jizz-worthy chicken sandwich.”

Hopefully not. Jason wanted to save the jizzing for later when Chad was more rested. The limping and waddling were long gone, but his ass had to be sore still. He’d taken such a big dick and knot like a good boy. He...

Jason jogged to the kitchen table and sat on the chair that faced the large window in the other room. His cock had only twitched once. If he didn’t look at Chad’s ass while lunch was being prepared, this wouldn’t be boner number three today. Or was it four? Jason shrugged, flicking his gaze to the cluttered table. The monster book and dagger, paper and pencil, recipe book, empty glass and bowl, pizza pan, two granola bars, written note, two aprons, axe, mask, plastic bag from the store, box of nails, and hammer were on there. He could put some of the stuff away instead of being lazy.

Mother used to bring garbage and recyclable materials into town because there had been no pickup this deep in the woods. With all of the people looking for him, that wasn’t an option for Jason, so everything would have to be dumped somewhere like he’d done with the previous garbage. The newspaper was already in the trash, even though he’d liked seeing his name. No one in town would forget his name now. They knew the green-haired man wasn’t responsible for the deaths at Packanack and Higgins Haven. That’s one of the reasons why Mother told him to kill. He had to make them remember.

The note also wasn’t needed. He didn’t know what the WCMH and G&C letters meant, but they’d been stored in his mind. He crumpled the note and tossed it into the trash can. It was always helpful to have the pencil and paper with him in case he needed to write something for Chad, but it was easier to write on a notepad instead of a wrinkled piece of paper. He scribbled over the sentences he’d written, smiling as he read them. He’d ended up getting his axe and granola bars back, though the speedo and notepad were still missing. The man who’d taken them wanted to keep Chad’s speedo for himself, maybe because he was interested in him. Sexually?

The pencil snapped in half and was hurled into the trash along with the paper. The sound wasn’t audible over the running water at the sink, where Chad was rinsing the meat juice off the cutting board. The sliced chicken breast was sizzling in the pan. Jason looked at his mask, suddenly seeking its comfort. It was more difficult to hide his emotions when his face was visible, and he didn’t want to ruin the day by making Chad worried. But wearing the mask would be more worrisome.

Jason grabbed his axe and stood up, leaving the mask on the table. A bloody axe didn’t belong on a place where people ate food, and Chad could get sick from the sight and smell of dried blood. And if an intruder ever came here, the only weapons Jason needed were his hands. He brought the axe upstairs to the bedroom and hung it from the nails beside the bed. The meat cleaver below would be perfect for slaughtering the sluts and the boys who went after them. He had six different kills in mind, and killing them could result in the red going away. He had to try anything, regardless of how many bodies he left behind. Except for Chad, everyone had demons inside them. They just couldn’t always be seen. By killing those people, Jason was doing a favor for them and himself.

It almost sounded crazy to his mind as he stared at the weapon rack. People were trying to make the most of what they’d been given in their lives. Just like he’d tried to do when he’d been a small boy. The only difference was the suffering. Or was it? He couldn’t have been the only person to have had his mother taken away. There had to be little boys and girls out there who didn’t even have food to eat, a roof over their head, or toys to play with. Crystal Lake was the only town he knew, but the world was a big place. Mother had traveled far to come here.

_“And I suffered to come here. My whole life was suffering until I had you. Remember the fun we had together when Mommy came home after work? And then you were taken from me. The worms, Jason. Do you remember the worms? How scary they looked in the mirror, eating away at your face? No one has suffered like we suffered! Nothing more needs to be thought of. Nothing more needs to be said!”_

Jason lifted a hand to his forehead and kept it there as he staggered out of the bedroom. Dead people shouldn’t burden the living. That’s what Mother was. A burden. He didn’t need her company anymore. In exchange for providing a comforting presence to talk with after her death, she’d ordered him around constantly for the past five years. He was a big boy now, and big boys didn’t need to be given orders. They could think for themselves and make their own decisions. Boys could be anyone or do anything they wanted, right? That’s what Mother had said, but she wasn’t honoring her words. She should’ve died and gone to heaven. Love could exist beyond the grave, but it didn’t have to be like this. Not inside his head. He could love Mother without having her in his life. He only needed one person. A boy who was alive and treated him with nothing but kindness, even after everything Jason had put him through.

The wooden floor suddenly disappeared and he tumbled down the stairs, each thump of his head producing a dull pain. The sounds caused Chad to come sprinting out of the kitchen, one hand on his chest as he gasped at the blood on Jason’s forehead. He knelt beside Jason, his other hand skimming over random parts to check for injuries, but the torn flesh was already mending. Jason lay there as stiff as a board, blinking slowly at the ceiling. After taking a few shaky breaths, Chad was able to recover from his shock to speak, resting his trembling hands on his thighs.

“What happened?”

Mother. She was what happened, but Jason couldn’t form the words. He closed his mouth and tapped a finger against his temple.

“You were distracted by your thoughts.” Chad smiled weakly. “I know what that’s like, but try to be careful. Okay?”

Jason bent at the waist and stood up, fully recovered from his stun. Chad grabbed his hand and led him to the kitchen sink, where the water was still running. The dishes and pan from the table had been washed and put into the drainboard. Rows of sliced cheese, cucumbers, and pickles were on the cutting board, joined by chopped lettuce. Chad released Jason’s hand and retrieved a fresh rag from the bottom drawer. He held it under the warm water, his hand continuing to shake. Jason got distracted often, but never to the point that he fell down the stairs. It bothered even himself, and he vowed to be more careful so he wouldn’t get injured again. Injuries could be brushed off like they were nothing, but it was disheartening to see Chad upset. Home was supposed to be a place of peace, not distress. One day it would be. Until then, peace would be a dream for the future.

Chad wrung the water out of the rag and turned to Jason. Standing on the tips of his toes, he used it to dab the blood off Jason’s forehead. The injury was minor, but Chad’s breath emerged unevenly from his open mouth, and his eyes were wide. He rinsed the rag with soap and water, a surprising amount of blood falling into the drain. After every trace had been eliminated, he shut the water off and draped the rag over the edge. Having the injury treated reminded Jason of the machete attack at Packanack, and as Chad faced him again, Jason was struck by the urge to kiss his favorite boy. He’d brushed his teeth after Chad had departed this morning, so what better time to kiss him than now?

He was so tiny, his mouth not even as high as Jason’s chest, but there was a way around everything. Jason gripped Chad’s waist and lifted him onto the edge of the counter. The pretty face turned rosy as Jason lowered his head and pressed a gentle kiss on the soft lips. When Chad’s eyes opened, they drifted down Jason’s bare chest and the growing hardness in his pants. Chad chuckled, the worry fading from his face. Then a mischievous expression appeared as he spaced his legs more apart, allowing Jason to position himself between them. Did Chad want more kisses? Or maybe something else?

Kisses should be treasured, but they could also be used to tease. Gripping the edges of the counter on either side of his boy, Jason went for another kiss, letting his minty breath touch Chad’s lips. The blue eyes closed in anticipation, but it never arrived. Instead, a hand moved to Chad’s pants, drawing a startled gasp. His eyes remained closed and he whimpered as Jason caressed the small but cute bulge. Chad tried to wiggle closer, on the verge of falling. Jason felt a twitch beneath the fabric and immediately withdrew his hand, turning the whimpers into a frustrated sigh. Chad smiled and opened his eyes.

“It’s probably for the best. I was just getting ready to put your sandwiches together.”

Jason whipped around and jogged to the table, quickly sitting down on the same chair as before. His cock wouldn’t mind claiming Chad on the counter and saving the sandwich for later, but his stomach had a different idea. Chad slid off the counter and turned to the ingredients. As the sandwich was assembled, Jason thought of the flabby grandma. The backside of the beautiful boy was still visible through his peripheral vision. The boy wasn’t naked however, so it was easier for his cock to calm down. If Jason could get through the sandwich without jizzing, there would be even more saved up for Chad.

A plate was brought to the table, consisting of a heaping pile of barbecue chips and two sandwiches, lettuce spilling out from how packed they were. Before the finger wagging started, Jason stood up and went to the sink to wash his hands while Chad brought a smaller plate of food to the table, followed by two tall glasses of water. Jason returned and sat across from him. Chad’s plate had five chips and half a sandwich on it. He was going to shrink if he kept eating like this.

“Don’t worry. I’m not on a diet. Just a bit full from breakfast.”

Jason shrugged and picked up a sandwich, chewing the lettuce that was hanging out. He wouldn’t force Chad to eat, but he enjoyed the roundness and jiggle of his ass. When people didn’t eat enough food, they lost weight, and it would be a shame if Chad’s ass disappeared. He also needed nutrients so he wouldn’t get sick. Putting the fear of ass shrinkage into him would encourage more eating, and Jason had an idea how to do that without being able to speak. He smiled as he took a big bite out of the sandwich.

“Jason? What’s wrong?”

He'd been warned about this in his shack, but he hadn't taken Chad's warning seriously. His mind had been too focused on coming up with other positions to try. He chewed and swallowed, bowing his head to stare at the tent pitching in his pants. Was it from the delicious food? Or because he’d just been thinking about Chad’s ass?

Chad peeked under the table and grinned. “Oh.”

Jason resumed eating, making sure to chew and swallow slowly so he wouldn’t choke. Mother had made a great chicken sandwich for him on his eleventh birthday, but it hadn’t been nearly as great as this. He closed his eyes and groaned, trying to ignore the twitches below. The only way this could be even more perfect was if Chad was sitting on his lap. Jason patted it, looking at him with a hopeful smile.

Chad popped a chip into his mouth and shook his head. “I don’t think so. Did you already forget how you were teasing me?”

Jason hadn’t forgotten, though it was worth a try. He finished his sandwich and moved to the next, still having lots of room in his stomach. He could probably handle a third, but Chad had put the leftover ingredients into the fridge, and Jason didn’t want to be too greedy. His eyes widened slightly as he noticed Chad’s sandwich was gone. Chad must’ve been more hungry than he’d said, or maybe he’d read Jason’s mind about his ass shrinking.

Chad took a long swig of water, finishing the glass in seconds. “I’m thinking we should do the laundry first and get them dried as soon as possible. There’s a storm coming tonight.”

That was something Jason hadn’t noticed when he’d been outside. In this area, the density and tall height of the trees made it impossible to see what nature had in store until it was suddenly happening. Sometimes there were cues in the air, such as the smell of rain or a changing wind pattern. The sun continued to shine brightly, bathing the house in light, but he trusted Chad’s instincts. Jason nodded, indicating that the laundry would be done first.

“After that, we can cut those vines down. No reason to have them if they just attract bugs.”

Jason chewed the last bite of his sandwich and nodded again. The longer the vines were up, the greater the risk of more spiders skittering in. Babies could fit through the window screen easily.

“I don’t know how we’re gonna get up there, but...” Chad shuddered. “Correction, how you’re gonna get up there.” He frowned and leaned an elbow on the table, resting his chin on his unbandaged hand. “About your mother... I’m assuming that bringing her home means digging up her corpse.”

Chad was right. Jason planned to bring her corpse, or whatever was left of it, to the cemetery on the hill in the backyard. Despite how annoying Mother could be, she deserved more than to be buried on the side of the road. It was still a mystery who’d buried her, but Jason was thankful that the cops hadn’t gotten rid of her, considering what she’d done. They could’ve dumped her into the lake or burned her instead.

“That reminds me, what did your mother do with the kittens?”

Jason balled a hand into a fist and made a scooping gesture. She’d buried them at the base of the tree. The person who’d killed the kittens had brought them here after they’d been dead already. Jason hadn’t heard the kittens crying when he’d been getting a snack from the kitchen, but he could remember going to the back door and seeing movement through the frosted glass. He’d opened the door a crack and saw a shadow moving among the trees, carrying a bloody cardboard box. The crayon drawing of that sight was on the fridge.

Chad peeked around Jason’s body, eyes focusing on the drawings. “I never really looked at those before. I noticed them, but I didn’t actually see them if that makes sense.”

Jason nodded. Sometimes things couldn’t be seen, even when they weren’t hiding. Like the staircase.

“The top drawing with the trees and the shadow. Did that person ever return?”

Jason shrugged. To his knowledge, no one had ever come here after his death, but it was possible. He hadn’t been at home all of the time. One of the great things about becoming a ghost had been the freedom. He’d been free to observe and go wherever he’d wanted, though he hadn’t wandered far from the Camp Crystal Lake area. It could be a lonely existence, but he’d often returned to Mother’s side and watched her while she’d slept. She used to grumble about the house being cold, even when she’d been sitting on a chair in front of the fireplace. He’d tried to hug her once, but she’d jumped to her feet and ran upstairs to her bedroom.

“The picture below it. What is that thing?”

Jason glanced over his shoulder. It was a grey creature with wrinkled skin pulled back from its mouth, exposing red muscle and sharp teeth. A spike stuck out on either side of its chin. Its hands were human-like, but they had sharp claws. The feet were difficult to describe. Instead of sticking out from a straight leg, they reminded him of a hawk’s talons. Red dripped down its chest. The hands and feet were also red because of the exposed muscles.

He turned his head back to Chad and stared at the table, unable to voice his memories. The creature hadn’t been seen in person when he’d been a small boy, yet he’d still been able to draw it. He’d seen flashes in his dreams and even when he’d been awake. To avoid worrying Mother, he hadn’t told her about the creature. After she’d started translating the book, she’d learned the names of various bad things and spoken them aloud. Jason had heard the names, but he couldn’t remember them. There was an empty void in his mind where they should be, despite his great memory. He was able to remember nearly everything that had happened to him, including Mother’s adoring expression whenever she’d looked at her baby.

“It reminds me of the thing your mother described in her diary.”

Shuddering again, Chad stood up and collected the dishes. They clinked together as he carried them to the sink and set them down inside it. He was worried about the bad thing, but if it ever showed itself, Jason would protect him. Chopping it into a hundred pieces and then squishing it into red paste should do the trick.  


Chad returned to the table and grabbed the bag containing the apron, which was full of white crust. “We should throw this out. I can buy a second apron.”

Jason shook his head firmly. It was bad enough to have lost Chad’s speedo, a special memento from that night. This apron was also special and couldn’t be replaced. The clean blankets and pillow had proven that jizz could be addressed with bubble bath.

“We’ll keep it then. Do you want to get the blankets from upstairs while I get the outside tub filled?”

Jason was already jogging towards the staircase. He hurried up the stairs and continued down the hallway to the bedroom, grabbing the bundle of blankets. He’d already had a shower, so he tried to minimize contact between himself and the dried jizz. Chad’s shorts, pants, shirts, and socks from yesterday also needed to be washed. Jason retrieved them from the bathroom and went back into the hallway, keeping his gaze on the floor to avoid another falling incident. He descended the stairs carefully. Another injury would hurt Chad more than it hurt himself.

The back door had been left open for him. Jason went outside to the faucet, where Chad was squatting by the tub. An opened box of laundry soap was beside him. Bending over, Jason slowly lowered the blankets and clothes into the tub so Chad wouldn’t get splashed. The apron was already inside. When the tub was full, Chad turned the water off and swirled the contents with a stick.

“I’ll buy us a proper washer and dryer once we get the basement renovations done.”

Chad stood up and walked to the shed. He opened the door, his body tensing as he looked around the interior. Retrieving the shears would mean putting himself at risk of getting munched by bugs. Jason pressed the back of his hand against Chad’s upper arm, asking him to move aside. The request was complied with. Jason entered the shed and grabbed the shears from the shelf, along with a metal ladder that had been propped against the wall behind the door. He tucked it under his other arm and jogged down the side of the house to the front.

“It always amazes me how you can jog after eating so much food.”

Jason never had a sore belly or anything else related to sickness. Occasionally it felt a bit fluttery when he was nervous, but the nervousness was almost as rare. That had happened only a few times since his resurrection, like when he’d been ready to show his face to Chad in the bathtub.

“Now we just have to figure out how to get up there.”

That part was easy. The ladder was eight feet tall, just below the roof that extended above the front door. Jason unfolded it and placed it into position. Some of the vines were growing across there and halfway up the chimney to the right. Jason just had to climb onto the lower roof, cut those vines, and then get down and move the ladder. The tricky part would be finding the roots of the vines so they wouldn’t grow back.

Jason pointed at the bedroom window. A cluster of vines was growing on the right side of the balcony below it. The spiders wouldn’t like being disturbed, and if they were small enough, they could enter.

“Good idea. I’ll close it. I think we left the back door open anyway.”

Chad jogged to the side of the house, his pants hugging his round ass with each step. Clearly he wasn’t wearing underwear. Did he do that on purpose to tempt Jason further, or did he enjoy the free feeling too?

Jason smiled, remembering the maid and nurse outfits. Chad would look cute wearing an outfit with thigh-length socks and lace underwear. Or maybe the weird underwear with the thin piece of cloth that disappeared between his cheeks. There were so many choices, including other outfits Jason had picked out for him. With a pair of fluffy ears on his head, a rosy face, and a cock-filled ass, the picture would be even more complete. Chad could be on top of Jason again with a mirror behind him, able to glance over his shoulder and see everything. Because he was so tiny, being fully seated would allow Jason to see above Chad's head into the mirror. Nice views from the front and the back.

If Jason kept thinking of that stuff, one thing was certain. His cock would wake up once again, and that would be bad. Surprisingly, it hadn’t reawakened yet, possibly from feeling betrayed. It always woke up with the anticipation of being inside Chad, but it had been denied the comfort and warmth for the past few times.

As Chad closed the window, he watched Jason ascend the ladder and climb onto the sloped roof. A muffled “be careful” sounded from inside the bedroom. The shears required two hands to use, so there was no way to hold onto something during the process of cutting. Jason braced his left boot flat on the shingles, his other knee splayed beside him. A fall from this height wouldn’t kill him, but it would hurt. Before he could start cutting, his boot slid slightly, causing Chad to quickly turn around and disappear. His footsteps pounded through the house, and the front door whipped open and slammed shut.

“Jason, you’re gonna give me a heart attack if you stay up there. Just trim the vines from the ground.”

Jason shook his head. Mother used to say vines were damaging to the exterior of the house. They could enter cracks in the crumbling bricks and stones, becoming more difficult to remove. Plus there were spiders. Jason could see their legs sticking out from under the leaves, ready to pounce on their prey.

A cascade of vines and spiders fell to the dirt as Jason made random snips with the shears. Chad closed his eyes and folded his hands over his heart. He was wearing the pink garden gloves. A few more snips later, the rest of the vines were cut down. Opening his eyes, Chad hesitantly stepped to the cluster and kicked it aside, drawing more black spiders out of their hiding spots. He shrieked and jumped backward, abandoning his intention of pulling the roots out.

Jason crawled to the other side of the roof and looked over his shoulder, giving Chad a thumbs up to encourage him. A fear of spiders would never be conquered if Chad let them bully him. He was strong and they were weak, at least individually. He had to hope they wouldn’t gang up on him, moving too quickly to squish.

“You’re right. It’s time to be a man.”

Chad straightened up, his wide eyes returning to a normal size. He approached the vine cluster and bent over, now hidden from view under the roof. Jason resumed his task, snipping as fast as he could. The sooner he finished, the sooner he could help with the roots. The occasional gasp came from below, but Chad didn’t flee. He was becoming braver every day. When Jason had encountered him for the first time, Chad’s composure level had been the lowest of the counselors.

Jason moved to the edge of the roof and dropped down, feeling no pain from the impact. To his right, Chad was tugging on a thick strand of vines, grunting softly from the effort. Squished spider bodies decorated the ground by his feet. He didn’t ask for help, so Jason brought the ladder to the chimney, only needing to ascend halfway to reach the vines. These ones were starting to grow into the stones. He placed the shears on top of the ladder and grabbed the end of a vine, carefully pulling it out to avoid leaving any pieces for the spiders to hide in.

The spiders here were different, having long skinny legs and a light brown body made up of a single ball. There were so many of them clustered together that it looked like a hairy carpet, tempting Jason to poke it and see what happened, but then they would scatter. The key was to make the entire carpet fall to the ground and flatten it with his boots. Mother’s bedroom was on this side, and the windows weren’t open, but she wouldn’t appreciate them squeezing through the cracks and invading. They could also get into the living room.

“What is that?” Chad asked, pointing at the carpet. He’d succeeded in pulling all of the vines out of the ground.

Jason made a crawling motion with his fingers. By clustering together, the spiders could be trying to confuse birds looking for a snack. Spiders were supposed to have eight legs, but some of these had fewer than that, so the birds might’ve had a taste of them already. During colder weather, this behavior could also help keep them warm. People weren't the only ones who cuddled.

Chad scratched his arms. “Uh... yeah. You’re gonna have to do something about that. We can’t just let them multiply.”

Jason tugged the rest of the vines and released them, letting them fall to the ground. He grabbed the shears and took a deep breath as he stared at the carpet. Chad was counting on him to eradicate the spiders, so Jason couldn’t let him down. Positioning the blades above the mass, he peeled it off the wall in one motion, sending the clump onto the vine pile. He quickly jumped off the ladder and stomped with both boots, squishing everything in sight. The spiders blended with the dirt, making them difficult to see, but they would think twice about coming here again. Death was the only thing that awaited them, and these annoying vines wouldn’t be coming back either. He set the shears on a ladder rung and gripped the strand at the base, ripping the roots out with a powerful tug.

“Thanks, Jason. You’re the best.”

The warm smile was back as Chad walked over to him. Jason met him halfway so Chad’s shoes wouldn’t be ruined by spider bodies. His bare chest was sweaty, but Chad didn’t care as he wrapped his arms around Jason. Despite the close proximity, Jason’s cock didn’t reawaken. Although being inside Chad was one of the best feelings ever, holding him like this was equally as wonderful. Along with kisses on his forehead, Jason had missed the simple comfort of a hug for a long time.

As they released each other, Chad’s attention shifted to the clumps of spider legs sticking to the bottom of Jason’s boots. He brought a hand to his mouth and gagged. Jason chuckled and turned to the tiny patch of grass near the chimney that wasn’t tainted by spider guts. Mother used to have a beautiful garden of wildflowers here, but this section was all that was left. He wiped the bottoms of his boots on the grass until they were clean.

“Good enough. I’m not sure how long we’ve been out here, but the clothes should be ready to hang up.”

Jason grabbed the shears off the rung, folded the ladder, and tucked it under his other arm. He followed Chad to the backyard, focusing on the scenery of dense trees instead of the wiggling ass. Chad gripped the handles of the tub, only managing to lift it an inch because of his sore hand. He stepped back and sighed.

“This hand is getting really tiresome. Sorry, but can you...”

Chad didn’t have to apologize. Anything he wanted, he could have. Jason quickly returned the ladder and shears to the shed, leaving the door open for Chad to put his gloves away. He stepped to the tub and squatted in front, lifting the twenty pounds with ease, then carried it towards the clothesline. He’d often wondered where he’d gotten his muscles from. He'd done a lot of labor over the years, like building his shack and hacking people to death, but enough to become this big? After the discover of Mother’s diary, things were becoming clearer. The magic had aged him into the strong boy he’d been meant to be, knitting his rotten flesh together. Not all at once. It had taken several days for the decay to disappear, and his hair growth had been slow. Lately, it seemed like the magic was taking a toll on his body. He didn’t have any hair for Chad to wash.

Jason lowered the tub at the clothesline, listening to the soft footsteps behind him. A bandaged hand reached for the water, but he gripped Chad’s wrist gently and shook his head. The cuts could sting if they were exposed to the soap. Chad nodded and watched Jason remove the shirt from the tub. After the water was wrung out, Jason hung it from the rope using two pins at the shoulders. He continued the process until everything was hanging in a long line. The blankets were jizz-free and the clothes weren’t wrinkly this time.

Chad yawned, causing Jason to yawn too. What time was it? The sun appeared to be at its highest position, which Jason had learned to associate with noon, but his stomach didn’t feel full. It had to be a few hours since he’d last eaten. Time always flied when he was with Chad, making Jason wish night wouldn’t arrive. He gripped the left handle and tipped the tub to the right, angling the water away from Chad.

“We have a few choices. Watch a movie, play a game, or fill in the holes. I’m leaning towards the last one.”

Jason turned to Chad and smiled. He made a circle with his thumb and index finger, then stuck another through it. He wouldn’t mind filling a certain hole. His cock could go for hours, transforming the rest of the day into a blur of fun.

Chad put his hands on his hips, trying to look annoyed, but his eyes shone with silent laughter. “Give me a break. Sex in the afternoon? I’ll be confined to the bed for hours after.”

Jason’s smile disappeared. That would be bad. He wanted to have a tasty meal before he had to leave tonight. He pointed at the shed, where the tools were located.

“All right. We’ll fill those holes instead.”

Before Jason could reach for an ass grab, Chad was striding to the shed. Jason sighed and followed him, watching the round cheeks jiggle slightly. Chad was very lean, but his ass stored the tiny amount of fat on his body. It was always so enjoyable to feel the perfect blend of plumpness and firmness. His ass had looked amazing when it had been pressed down on Jason’s...

Jason was turning into such a lustful boy that he could hardly believe it. He’d gone from thinking about survival and murder to thinking about sex constantly. Mother would be ashamed of him, but he didn’t care. Any boy would get addicted after being deprived of physical pleasure for that long. Still, if Mother really was inside his head, he was glad she couldn’t read every thought.

Chad opened the shed door and boldly entered, keeping his eyes on his target rather than the bugs that surrounded him. He grabbed a small can of putty and two metal scrapers, then stomped out of the shed, yanking the door closed. “It would be so much easier to just make a phone call,” he muttered, continuing to the back entrance.

Jason didn’t like the idea of men coming into the house, not while he had tasks to do away from here. Money was hidden under the bed, and the strange books were in plain sight. What if the workers snooped around? Chad could stay here, but that would be too dangerous for him. All it would take was one man to make a move on him, and then the others could join in, unable to resist the temptation. A tiny boy like him wouldn’t stand a chance.

Chad sighed and opened the back door, less forcefully this time. He stepped inside and slipped his feet out of his dirty shoes, leaving them on the mat. “It’s better if they start the work early in the morning anyway.”

Jason followed him inside and closed the door, clicking the lock afterward. In the past, he’d opened many doors by simply kicking them down, and a trespasser could likely do the same. But against the sneaky sort, a lock could be helpful. The front door was unlocked, but surely no one would be stupid enough to try entering through that way.

“Where do you want to start?”

Jason entered the kitchen, dropping to his knees beside the pantry on the right side. There were two small holes at the bottom of the wall where the rats had started to chew through. Chad set the can down and knelt behind it. He passed a scraper to Jason and used the other to pry open the can. Jason had found it when he’d been exploring Packanack after the cops had left. This would be a temporary measure until stronger fixes could be implemented, but it was better than having the rats raid the kitchen at night.

Chad scooped putty onto the edge of the scraper and ran it over the hole. It had a thick and grainy texture. The color was bright white compared to the beige paint, and it took several scoops to fill the hole. He shaved the excess with the blade. Jason copied him, producing the same result.

“That was easier than I thought. I saw a few holes in the hallway, but I think we’re good upstairs.”

Jason nodded. The rats seemed to prefer the lower levels. That’s probably why the corpses in the basement had turned into skeletons so quickly, even though Alice was still rotting. They’d been munched right down to their bones. Now the rats were looking for other food sources, assuming these weren’t old holes from the dead rat family.

Chad picked up the can and rose to his feet, heading through the kitchen doorway to the hallway. Jason pinched the edge of the lid and took it with him to the hole right outside. It was quickly filled by Chad, who didn’t seem to be enjoying the labor as much as Jason. Chad also liked working as a team, but he had low stamina, and the weariness was showing in his droopy eyelids. The sun exposure and the heat from the house weren’t helping matters. He dragged his feet to the hole beside the front door and squatted to fill that one too, not bothering to scrape the excess.

“I don’t remember seeing any holes in the other rooms.”

Chad stood up and faced the back door, his eyes scanning for other holes along the main hallway. Pieces of plaster had crumbled, but the damage wasn’t that extensive to warrant an immediate fix. He lifted the can higher and supported the bottom with his other hand, which was still gripping the scraper. Jason put the lid back on. The can dropped to Chad’s side, swinging from its handle.

“I’m thinking of having a nap before dinner. I’ll need energy to keep watch when we dig your mother up. Feel like joining me?”

Jason shook his head and grabbed the handle of the can. The rats had entered the basement somehow, and if he didn’t fill those holes, more would come. At some point, the holes outside the house also had to be dealt with. Rats would keep coming in endlessly by using the same routes.

Chad released the handle, allowing Jason to take it from him. “Wake me up when you’re done and I’ll make dinner. I’ll rinse the scraper off first.” His gait was more energetic, arms swinging as he walked down the hallway, fueled by the imminent comfort of sleep.

Jason listened to the running water as he stared at the floor. It was a tempting thought to join Chad in bed. These days, the red only disappeared when Jason was dreaming. Things rarely looked the same in dreams, as if the mind was unable to perfectly re-create reality. But last night, everything had seemed so real. A premonition. He was being given a chance to prevent the worst from happening. If he stayed here instead of taking that chance, he would be driven to insanity by the whispers, and a crazy boy wouldn’t be able to understand right from wrong.

He squared his shoulders and strode towards the alcove in the sitting room. When two boys were meant to be together, nothing could stand their way. The massacre at Higgins Haven had ended with hope, and this upcoming one would end similarly. Hope for a better future. If people didn’t have hope, they had despair, and that had almost cost Mother her life. The will to live could be a powerful thing, and so could the will to protect.

Jason slid the board out of the way with his boot, jumped into the basement hole, and jogged to the middle to turn the light on. The light bulb flickered, then returned to a solid state, illuminating the darkness with a soft yellow glow. Mother hadn’t allowed him to come down here, saying it was dangerous. It was spacious, spanning the entire length and width of the house, but almost empty. Three metal contraptions stood against the back wall, likely related to the heating and water systems. Behind him, there was emptiness.

The ceiling was made up of wooden beams, spiderwebs stretching between them, and the walls and floors were in a poor state with chunks of cement lying around. The small can of putty was inadequate for his needs, but he worked on repairing the many holes the best he could. Upstairs, the water had stopped running, and Chad was likely resting in bed. Jason hoped he was comfortable without a fan to cool him down. After this, the fan from Mother’s closet would be retrieved. Jason didn’t intend to wake him up right away. Tonight would be busy, starting with Mother.

Mother hadn’t known how the previous owner had died, and no seller would disclose that information. Did his spirit still live in the house? Jason couldn’t feel another presence here, but it was possible. After the drowning, he’d remained close to his place of death, not able to let go. He’d been taken from life too early. If the owner had died violently, maybe he felt the same way. Mother was different. She wasn’t a ghost, at least to Jason’s knowledge. She’d never done anything strange around his shack, like trying to move objects around.

The light bulb flickered again, three times in rapid succession. Jason looked over his shoulder, but nothing was behind him. He wished the bad thing would make an appearance so he could put an end to it. Whatever was responsible for the dying lights around the house, it was too scared to show itself to him. He shrugged and scooped the last blob of putty onto the scraper, applying it to a hole near the floor that was the size of a rat’s head. The bloody broom and dustpan were still down here, and he smiled as he remembered squishing them and pouring the soup into the garbage bag. Chad had been so disgusted, nearly barfing from the sight. His belly was sensitive.

Jason left the empty can on the floor and jogged to the light, taking a last look around. He’d done everything he could with the tools he had available. The empty can could be left down here, but the scraper would be useful if more putty was obtained. He pulled on the chain to turn the light off before morphing outside.

The vine piles were already starting to wither in the heat, but the long roots still had a chance of reabsorbing into the ground. Collecting both piles, he shifted to the forest, ignoring the tickles of spiders over his hands and arms. He dumped the piles and jogged to the front door, brushing his skin off on the way there. After ensuring he was free of spiders, he went inside, closed the door softly, and locked it.

His stalk ability had another use aside from preying on counselors. He activated it, his long strides and heavy boots making no sounds on the floor. Was it magic or his years of practice? Jason wasn’t sure, but the ability prevented Chad from being woken up, so it was helpful in more ways than one. He headed for the alcove and re-boarded the basement hole, then entered the kitchen to wash his skin and the scraper. Cleanliness had always been important to him too because of Mother’s strict orders about bathing every day. Going into the lake had been scary, but he’d overcome some of his fear by staying in the shallow areas. Now, bathing was a fun activity he could do with Chad every day. 

Jason ripped a piece of paper towel off the roll and laid the scraper on top of it. The next task was getting the fan so Chad was more comfortable. Jason stalked out of the kitchen and up the stairs, stopping by Mother’s bedroom. He opened the door as quietly as he could, but it still creaked. Quiet breathing was heard down the hallway, indicating that Chad was still sleeping. Jason entered the room, trying his best to ignore the increased intensity of the whispers. The words blended together, long strings of unclear sentences, almost sounding like multiple voices talking at once. He opened the closet and grabbed the small circular fan. Mother’s old dresses from her youth were hanging in there, full of holes from moths, and a few pairs of high-heeled shoes were at the bottom. She’d purchased more stuff for him than for herself, putting his needs first.

The pang of guilt left him as quickly as it struck. Mother had also been the source of misery at times, refusing to allow him peace. He jogged out of her bedroom and pulled the door closed so forcefully that he heard wood splinter. Freezing in the hallway, he waited for the footsteps to come running, but they didn’t. He silenced his own, stalking to the other bedroom. Chad hadn't awakened, his limbs splayed as he lay on his back. If he’d slept through that, what else could he sleep through? An intruder busting down the front or back door and creeping to his bed?

Jason set the fan onto the side of the dresser and plugged it into the same outlet as the phone. He turned it on at the lowest setting and angled the blowing air until Chad’s hair was being ruffled. Chad didn’t react, but at least he was breathing. He’d unfastened the buttons of his purple shirt, exposing his chest and abdomen.

Remembering the watches in Chad’s jewelry box, Jason opened it and checked the time. All of them were stuck on 3:42, so it had to be later than that. Yet another strange event had happened. For the batteries to run out at the exact same time... maybe Chad had purchased the watches in one shopping trip, and they'd been set at the exact same moment. Very unlikely, but the only other explanation was a ghost playing tricks.

Jason closed the box and walked to the large window. He separated the curtains. From this height, the dark clouds were visible above the trees. He’d preferred to wait until nightfall to retrieve Mother’s body, but that didn’t seem like a safe option now. Chad would want to come with him instead of staying in the house by himself. He could get struck by lightning, or his tiny body could get blown away by the wind. Safety from nature was more important than safety from traffic. Snoopy people could be disposed of very easily. Nothing could be done against a raging storm.

He grabbed the spare light bulb off the dresser and walked into Chad’s closet, deciding to change the light while he was up here. Reaching above his head, he switched the bulbs in seconds. Chad could also use a dark set of clothing for the trip to the cemetery. Jason draped a brown shirt and pants over his arm, wishing he had more clothes to wear for himself. It was hard to find clothing in the big boy size. The men around town were all puny, except for the occasional fat one like Harold.

Jason left the clothing on the end of the bed and stalked to the bathroom. He tossed the old bulb into the trash and pressed his hands on the counter, gazing at his reflection intently. How could Chad have fallen in love with this boy in the mirror? He hadn’t even flinched after the reveal at Packanack, and he hadn't done it at the kitchen table last night either. People who loved each other could see things that others couldn’t. Jason just had to remember that whenever he started to doubt himself. This boy was ugly to him, but not to Chad.

It had been stressful to make breakfast this morning, not knowing how Chad would react, but Jason was getting more confident with his skills after getting praised. Instead of having Chad make dinner, Jason could surprise him again. He had experience cooking meat over a campfire, so cooking it on the stove shouldn’t be much different. He stalked back downstairs to the kitchen and washed his hands again, just to be safe. The hard part would be deciding what to cook.

The fridge contained a package of steak that was expiring today, a variety of vegetables and sauces, and many other items. Jason grabbed the steak, a bottle of barbecue sauce, a tub of butter, half-chopped red and yellow peppers, and a head of broccoli. There weren’t any instructions how to cook them, but he couldn’t go wrong with the medium setting on the stove. He placed everything onto the cutting board and spun the dial to the number five. A clean frying pan was already on the burner.

When Chad had cooked the pork chops, he’d added a tiny amount of olive oil to the pan. Jason did the same, carefully tilting the bottle. He ripped a hole in the plastic wrap of the steak package and peeled it back enough to plop the meat into the pan. It started to sizzle immediately. Next was the barbecue sauce. Too much and it would overpower the steak’s flavor, making it inedible. He squeezed the bottle gently, drizzling the sauce across the top half and then over the bottom.

Now for the vegetables. Jason removed them from their bags and laid them in a row. Chad was fast and precise at chopping, but Jason’s chopping skills lacked that precision. He was used to swinging like a crazy boy, bound to sever something from its body. Mother had a large collection of knives in the second and third drawers. He stared at them for a few seconds, settling on a long butcher knife. Chad had already rinsed the vegetables thoroughly before putting them into the bags, so Jason went straight to the chopping. His hands were big in comparison, requiring extra carefulness to avoid severing his fingertips. After dividing the peppers into thin pieces, he moved on to the broccoli, cutting a few bundles from their stems.

Were the meat and vegetables supposed to go into the same pan? He shrugged. Chad wouldn’t get sick as long as the meat was cooked enough to kill bacteria. Mother hadn’t allowed Jason to use the stove, but she’d taught him about topics like contamination. That’s why boys shouldn’t eat stuff off the floor, even if it looked clean. Jason lifted the cutting board and used the knife to scrape the vegetables into the pan. It had taken him a while to chop, so the steak was probably ready to turn over. He stabbed it and revealed the other side, which was a medium brown color.

As dinner continued to sizzle, he buttered two pieces of brown bread and put one on each plate, then tidied the counter by putting the butter, sauce, and broccoli into the fridge. Half an onion was wrapped in plastic in the fridge door section. It would’ve added extra flavor, but he shrugged again and closed the door. Chad wouldn’t be expecting perfection from a boy who was new to cooking. Many more meals would come in the future. Jason grabbed the two plates from the drainboard and put them beside the stove, along with two forks and smaller knives.

The cookie baking would have to be saved for tomorrow. Depending on the traffic, it could take a long time to find the perfect moment to dig up the grave tonight. That task could also be delayed, but Jason wanted to get it over with and out of his mind. Mother had been buried there for five years too long.

A bed groaned overhead, followed by the creaking of the floor. Jason kept an eye on the frying pan as he leaned back against the counter, facing the kitchen doorway with the knife in hand. Soft footsteps eventually padded down the stairs and into the kitchen. Chad was wearing the brown clothes, his bedhead hair sticking out everywhere. He sniffed the air and smiled as he sat at the table.

“Smells good. That’s what woke me up.”

Jason smiled back at him and moved to the front of the stove. The steak was brown and the vegetables weren’t as crunchy, but he sliced a chunk of steak from the rest to be sure of the readiness. It wasn’t red inside, so he turned the stove off and gripped the handle of the pan, evenly portioning the vegetables first. The steak came next, sliding onto his plate. He released the handle and grabbed the fork, using it to hold the meat in place as he cut it in half. Big boys needed more food to stay strong, but this was a special meal for Chad. The first dinner Jason had cooked for him.

He tossed the butcher knife into the sink before bringing the two plates to the table. Chad reached for the smaller knife on his plate to begin cutting the steak, but Jason snatched it and did the work for him. With Chad’s injury, the meat would get cold by the time he was finished cutting it.

“You didn’t have to, but thanks.”

Jason didn’t have to do anything. He did it because he enjoyed helping out whenever he could. Less pressure on Chad’s hand would result in his injuries healing faster. His face was still a bit rosy, so Jason returned to the fridge and filled a tall glass of water for him. The jug was almost empty, but there was enough to fill another glass for himself. Jason's hands were steady this time as he carried the glasses and offered one to Chad. The water was accepted and guzzled in a single tilt.

Leaning his arms on the table, Jason waited as Chad lowered the glass and picked up the fork. A small chunk of steak was speared and brought to Chad’s mouth. He popped it inside and chewed slowly, staring into space. Jason’s heart was beating a bit faster than usual, but his nervousness was nowhere near the previous level. Dinner looked and smelled much better than breakfast had.

“This is the best fucking steak I’ve ever eaten.”

It began to disappear at a rapid pace, the pieces having been cut into tiny morsels. Jason focused his attention on his own plate and stabbed his fork into the middle of the slab. He turned it upside-down and ripped a piece off with his teeth, letting out a loud groan as he chewed. The delicious flavor was able to compete with Chad’s pork chops. Well, not really. Food always tasted better when it was cooked with the love from someone else, but this was tastier than he’d expected. His whole plate was emptied in under a minute, and Chad followed a few minutes later, his small belly getting full towards the end.

“I should get you to cook more often.”

Chad licked his lips and collected the dishes, his eyes looking brighter than before his nap. He was well-rested and ready for whatever tonight had in store. Jason looked through the kitchen window above the sink as Chad washed the dishes carefully, his right hand only involving the tips of his fingers. The sunlight wasn’t nearly as bright as the radiant boy. Clouds had covered it, casting everything in grey. Time shouldn’t mean anything in this house, separated from the rest of the world, but Jason found himself growing anxious from not knowing. His long nails tapped on the table. Bring Mother home, have fun with Chad, kill them all. That seemed like a suitable sequence of events. Jason had to hold his boy before, not after.

The last dish was put into the drainboard, and Chad dried his hands on the towel hanging from the stove. He returned to the table and stood beside Jason, watching the tapping nails for a few seconds. His eyes flicked to Jason’s face. “My watches stopped working, so I don’t know what time it is. Do you want to bring your Mother home once it gets dark?”

Jason shook his head, his nails ceasing their taps. He struck the table with the palm of his hand, indicating that he wanted to leave soon.

“What if someone sees us?”

Jason slid a finger across his throat.

Chad gave him a half-smile. “Of course. There’s a solution to everything.”

Jason pointed in the direction of the clothesline, then at himself. By now, the clothes should be dry, and he wanted to grab his shirt from the bathroom. The green would help him blend in with the forest more than a bare chest.

“The laundry basket’s upstairs in the bedroom. I’ll grab it and meet you in the back.”

Chad walked towards the stairs, his full belly preventing him from jogging. In seconds, Jason was passing him using his shift ability. He got stuck at the top of the stairs, having difficulties making the turn into the hallway despite the practice he’d done, and the speed seemed slower. During the period when he’d been asleep after Chris’ attack, he must’ve lost some of his skill. He materialized in front of the wall, causing Chad to gasp as he ascended the last step.

“Wasn’t expecting you right there.”

Jason grunted another apology. Scaring Chad wasn’t on the list of things to do tonight. Jason jogged down the hallway to the bathroom, wanting to try out his shift ability again but unable to. Along with the slower speed, it was taking longer to activate. This would result in less map control. If the bad boys and girls tried to escape with a vehicle, the shift would have to be timed perfectly with a morph combo. Otherwise it would be nearly impossible to catch up with the vehicle from behind.

He retrieved his shirt from the floor and put it on, fastening each of the buttons. Was anything else needed for the trip to Mother’s grave? His new weapon would stay at home, at least for the time being. Random onlookers weren’t worthy of a fancy kill, and decorating the area with blood would make it difficult to hide his tracks.

Chad appeared in the bathroom doorway, carrying the empty laundry basket. “Are you bringing the pig splitter with you?”

He tried to keep his voice casual, but apprehension was audible in his voice. The pig splitter had to be the long meat cleaver on the weapon rack. Jason shook his head, and Chad’s shoulders relaxed as he resumed walking. Following close behind, Jason went down the stairs and reached around Chad to unlock and open the back door. He pulled it closed after they stepped outside. Jason had hoped to watch the beautiful sunset again at Camp Crystal Lake, but that might not be possible with the cloud cover.

“A storm is definitely coming. I’m guessing it’ll hit tonight.”

Chad lowered the basket in front of the metal tub and moved to the right side of the clothesline to begin taking the blankets down. His eyes flicked over the floral fabric as he checked for bugs. The ground had already dried from the earlier emptying of the water, saving his shoes from getting muddy. Jason worked on the left side where Chad’s clothes were hanging. They didn’t smell as nice as when Jason had used the bubble bath, but at least they wouldn’t have to be ironed. It had been scary to use the iron on his own clothes to remove the wrinkles. With only a single shirt and pair of pants, they could’ve been ruined by scorch marks from the high heat.

Once everything had been unpinned, shaken, and put into the basket, Jason squatted and wrapped an arm around it, lifting it up. He raised his other hand in a stop signal, asking Chad to wait outside while the clothes were brought into the house.

“I’ll get a shovel from the shed.” Chad’s eyes darted to the cemetery on the hill, a slight shiver running through him. “To uh... dig her up.”

If there wasn’t a risk of that man returning to the house, Chad could stay home. Mother’s corpse wouldn’t be a pretty sight, likely being eaten by worms. And with Chad’s sensitive belly, the smell would bother him, but Jason didn’t want to take the risk of leaving him alone. He nodded at Chad before heading back inside, taking the basket to the bedroom. He left it in front of the dresser and closed his eyes, preparing to morph to the backyard, but there was a better idea. Although the front and back doors wouldn’t offer a lot of security because of the rusty locks and old wood, securing them would prevent someone from entering and exiting with no trace.

Jason turned to the doorway and tried shifting downstairs again, succeeding in reaching the front door without getting stuck. The slower speed allowed for greater precision once he got used to it. This door was already locked. He grabbed the key and a spare one from the rack, then jogged to the back door to lock it. A morph brought him to the middle of the yard. Chad was waiting for him at the shed door, which had a shovel propped against it. His smile didn’t look natural, lacking a sparkle in his eyes. Jason handed one of the keys to him and pocketed the other.

“Should I meet you there in the car, or...”

Jason stared at Chad’s face, contemplating the different options. A fancy car would attract attention if it was parked on the side of the road, and it would get stinky if Mother’s body was transported in there. Chad wouldn’t want to drive a stinky car. Jason could morph him to the cemetery, bring Mother home with another morph, and then return for him, but Chad would get stinky from the physical contact required for the morph.

He shrugged. With both options, stinkiness would be involved, and a bath or shower was required anyway after a long day of sweating. Grabbing the shovel, he wrapped his other arm around Chad and searched his mind for the location of the cemetery. Many thoughts were whirling around, making it more difficult than normal to concentrate. He focused on the feeling of Chad’s warm body against his, and upon opening his eyes, the scenery had changed to the forest behind the cemetery.

The road was quiet. Jason released him and silenced his footsteps as he walked through the tall weeds to the front of the cemetery. No footsteps were heard behind him, signalling that Chad had decided to stay out of view. Jason relied on his natural vision while checking each end of the long road. If people weren’t afraid, his sense ability became useless during the day.

A bed of fallen leaves covered the ground at Mother’s grave. They rustled as he stabbed the shovel deep into the soil, unearthing a large mound that he threw aside. The soil and leaves would have to be replaced afterward to avoid arousing suspicion, and though he’d wanted to bring Mother’s tombstone home too, people would notice if it was missing. She hadn’t taught him much about death except for saying that good boys went to heaven and bad boys went to hell. When Jason had asked her what happened to the bodies, she’d said they were often put into long wooden boxes called coffins. That’s where the bodies slept while the souls went somewhere else.

Bracing his feet on the edge of the growing hole, he kept digging, expecting to hit something hard. Instead, the shovel eventually dug into a mushy section three feet down. A piece of rotten flesh appeared on the tip of the blade, and as he raised the shovel to investigate it more closely, he heard a gag from the forest. Chad was hunched over, the smell of decay reaching him from twenty feet away. Jason wanted to comfort him, but he had to get this done before being discovered. What if a cop arrived? Bullets would hurt, and he’d come close to experiencing that in Packanack Lodge.

After clearing away the last layer of soil that covered Mother, he was able to see her condition more clearly. A brown blanket was wrapped around her body. As a little boy who’d just risen from the lake, he’d been too weak to lift her, so he’d settled on taking her head and clothing with him. Mother had also taught him about modesty. He’d covered her with a blanket from one of the cabins. In the areas that weren’t covered, right below her neck and from the knees down, some of the brown and black flesh had rotted to expose the bones. Worms were writhing around, and Jason felt a twinge of sickness in his stomach at the sight.

He placed the shovel beside the hole and stepped to that location. Kneeling in the leaves, he slid his arms under the back and knees of the body, lifting it slowly to prevent the flesh from ripping. Seconds later, he was back home, heading up the steps to the cemetery. He laid the body horizontally in front of the fence gap, decay clinging to his shirt. As he waited for his morph ability to become usable again, he shifted to the laundry tub and quickly brought it to the faucet. A minute could be spared to get a bath ready for his shirt so Chad wouldn’t barf from the smell. Jason turned the water on at full blast and unfastened the buttons, fingers flying down the fabric. He wriggled out of the shirt and dumped it into the tub, which had just enough water to submerge it.

Tilting his head down, he took a whiff of his bare chest. The shirt had protected it from the decay, but his hands were stinky. He dipped them into the soapy water and then turned it off. This would suffice for now. He would get dirty again after Mother was buried.

He morphed back to the grave, where Chad was already filling the hole with soil. His expression was pained, but he was so focused on helping that Jason didn’t want to grab the shovel from him. Jason used his foot to sweep soil, listening for cars in the distance, but none were encountered. With the newspaper talking about a copycat killer roaming around, the townspeople were likely staying inside their homes.

Chad exhaled loudly and paused to catch his breath, gazing at the mound of soil where the hole used to be. Gently taking the shovel from his grasp, Jason flattened the mound so it wouldn’t look freshly dug. He spread the leaves over it and stepped to the front of the grave to examine the work. No one would suspect that it had been tampered with. Chad stood beside him and nodded in approval.

“Good enough. Let’s get out of here.”

Jason turned to him. There weren’t any gags as he wrapped an arm around Chad and pulled him close. It was the opposite. A cute blush rose to Chad’s cheeks at the feeling of Jason’s bare chest, but this wasn’t the time for romance. Jason wasn’t wearing his mask, and Chad had gotten used to seeing him without it, so he hadn’t noticed either. Being without his mask outside of home, even on a quiet stretch of road, made his heartbeat soar. What if someone saw his ugly face? Faster than ever, he morphed to the backyard. Jason was a stupid boy for making that mistake. His mask offered more protection than any weapon could.

“Do you need help burying her?”

Jason lowered his arm and shook his head. This was a task he should do by himself. A proper son wouldn’t have left Mother to rot on the side of a road for five years.

“Okay. Being around dead people isn’t really my thing, but I haven’t been up there yet. I’ll watch.”

Jason jogged past Chad and ascended the stone stairs, softer footsteps keeping pace with his own. He stepped over Mother’s corpse and scanned for a suitable place to bury her. It was a small cemetery, surrounded by a black iron fence. Four graves were marked by short crosses made of sticks, arranged in two sets on either side.

“Huh. Thought we might find more information about who lived here in the past, but there’s nothing.” Chad’s voice shook from the effort of keeping dinner inside his belly, but he didn’t retreat.

Jason had only visited the cemetery once as a little boy. He hadn’t gotten scared easily, but there had been something about it that unsettled him. Did everyone go to heaven or hell, or was there a place in between too? He’d discovered the answer to that question after drowning. But if Mother wasn’t a ghost, then what was she?

The fifth grave was located at the back, separate from the rest. It was the only one with a grey tombstone, which was blank. Rather than risk digging a hole there and discovering a corpse, Jason chose to dig at the left side of the cemetery, closer to the front. He would’ve preferred to place Mother into a coffin, but he didn’t know where to get one of those. At least this would be better than where she’d been previously. She was home.

He returned to her corpse and lifted it carefully, keeping the rotten flesh far away from his chest. Chad’s shirt was pulled over his nose, one hand holding it in place and the other rubbing his stomach. Jason had lived with a rotting body for years, so the smell wasn’t bothersome. It was the worms. He avoided looking at them as he lowered the corpse into the hole. Mother was strangely quiet, and he couldn’t recall when he’d last heard her voice. Was she finally giving him some peace after what he and Chad had done for her?

Soft footsteps retreated as Jason began to fill the hole. When they came back several minutes later, Chad was holding the bouquet of pink roses. He laid them on the middle of the mound, his face stoic. Chad had already cried for Mother and expressed sorrow through his words when he’d seen her head in the shack. He still felt sorry for her, but Jason knew he was also dreaming of a bright future.

A cool breeze rippled through the cemetery, and words appeared on the grey tombstone at the back.

_Chad Kensington_  
_ 1966 – 1984_  
_ At Rest_

Rapid breaths emerged from Jason’s mouth as he dropped the shovel and grabbed Chad’s shoulder, shaking it violently. He pointed at the tombstone with his other hand. Chad looked at it, then back to Jason, raising his eyebrows in confusion.

“What’s wrong? I don’t see anything.”

Jason closed his eyes and calmed his breathing, arms slowly lowering to his sides. The words were gone when he opened them. His crazy mind was just playing tricks, but he couldn’t remember Chad providing his birth year. Only the month and day. April 20th.

Was all of this a dream? Did Chad die on Friday the 13th, 1984 after Jason had burst through the bedroom door? Or was someone tormenting Jason, trying to push him closer to the brink? If so, he was almost there. He spun Chad around and wrapped him a tight hug, feeling the warmth. Dead boys weren’t warm. They were cold. Thin arms encircled his waist, and dark blue eyes looked up at him, wide with concern. The sky overhead was growing darker by the minute. When had the sunset occurred? Jason couldn’t remember that either.

“Jason... let’s go back inside. Let me take care of you.”

A small hand moved to his front and slid down the middle of his chest and abdomen, settling on his belt. It was an obvious attempt at distraction, but a welcome one among the whirling mess of thoughts in his mind. His body reacted to these gentle touches, and he scooped the tiny boy into his arms.

Sleeping boys didn’t turn into ghosts. They dreamed of better lives or had nightmares of days long past. Sometimes they even dreamed of events to come. His death in exchange for Chad’s life. As Jason walked out of the cemetery and descended the stone steps, he hoped with all of his heart that these events wouldn’t arise. To hold Chad in his arms one last time would be both a blessing and a curse. Peace from the comfort it provided, and heartbreak from the realization that it might never happen again.


	10. Submission

The sky continued to darken as Jason carried his boy towards the back door of the house, trudging through the lake of dirt in the yard. Where had the day gone? Was it even transitioning into night yet? He couldn’t trust his eyes or his mind. The only thing he could trust was the soft voice trying to reassure him.

“Everything will be fine. Whatever you saw, it was just a trick. I’m still here and I’ll take care of you.”

Chad retrieved the spare house key out of his pocket, his hand trembling so forcefully that he nearly dropped it. He unlocked the door and put it back into his pocket. The key had been given to him in order to provide an easy route inside when Jason wasn’t home. Chad’s slender legs could get injured if he had to kick the door down, and that would also invite a horde of bugs and rats into the house.

He turned the knob and pushed the door open, producing a loud creak that was overpowered by his breathing. Jason entered sideways so Chad’s head wouldn’t get clunked on the frame, and Chad pulled the door closed and clicked the lock. This seemed familiar. It had occurred a few days ago after visiting Camp Crystal Lake, but Chad wasn’t crying this time. He was concerned and a bit afraid of Jason’s strange behavior. Would he still love a crazy boy? Maybe he was crazy too for falling in love with a killer who would bring more lives to an end before the night was over.

Jason smiled gently as he looked into the blue eyes, their beauty barely visible in the dim light filtering through the door. Two crazy boys were perfect for each other, but he wished he could get better, free from outside influence. No red obscuring his vision, no whispers telling him what to do or making him question his decisions. This kind-hearted boy deserved all of his attention.

His smile was answered with a grin from Chad. “We definitely need a shower now. Smell like we’ve been rolling around in a grave.”

Lowering his head, Jason took a whiff of Chad and squinted. Although he was accustomed to the smell of a rotting corpse, he was forced to admit that Mother hadn’t smelled pleasant, and now the scent of decay was sticking to Chad too. Jason carried him upstairs to the bathroom and set him down at the tub, then returned to the doorway and flicked the light switch.

Chad sighed and bent over, disregarding the pain in his hand as he turned the two knobs. He sat on the edge and rested his forearms on his thighs, staring at the cracked floor. The ritual of waiting for the brown water to disappear was getting increasingly tiresome, even for Jason. He didn’t know why the water was that color, nor did he know how to fix it. As much as he disliked the idea of men coming here, the house needed to be repaired.

Tomorrow morning, Chad could call the slut at the store and ask for help. Then home could be restored to its former safety and beauty. The previous owner hadn’t left the house in perfect condition, but there had been nowhere near as many problems. Just the occasional spider and rat, and sometimes the lights used to fizzle and the ceiling leaked. Winters had been cold because the house hadn’t maintained heat very well. Lots of wood would have to be chopped for the fireplaces to keep Chad warm, but it would be fun to spend future winters with him. Gingerbread cookies, hot chocolate... it had been so many years since Jason had experienced them.

“You don’t realize how much you value something until it’s gone.” Chad looked around the illuminated bathroom. “Been a few days since we had lights in here.”

His eyes flicked to Jason’s chest, and pink tinged his cheeks as he quickly stood up and turned to the tub. He’d seen the muscles many times, but they still had that effect on him. It caused Jason to smile again. No one had ever looked at him with anything other than disgust or fear, so it was nice to see Chad get flustered. The scars didn’t bother him. That’s what he’d said in the lake.

Jason’s hands curled into fists as he stared at the long scar on his left shoulder. Ginny had done this to him. The scar on his head added to his ugliness. How could he have let two tiny girls beat him? His work would never be complete until they were found and defeated. What if the machete slice or axe strike had killed him? In one scenario, he never would’ve met Chad, and in the other, this love would’ve ended after it had barely begun. But neither of those things had happened, so did it even matter anymore? The girls were already suffering from their experiences. They would always remember Jason.

He barely heard the sound of clothes rustling as they were removed at the tub. The soft voice jolted him back into reality, his hands relaxing. “A shower’s better than a bath. We don’t want dirt and corpse juice floating around the tub.”

Jason grunted and began to remove his own clothes, starting with his boots. He preferred baths because Chad’s entire body was accessible that way, but it wouldn’t be a smart choice after handling Mother’s corpse. Maybe a shower and then a bath. Just like the night when he’d met Chad. It would be another nice memory to take with him when he went out tonight.

As Chad’s clothes were fully shed, his brown pants dropping to the floor, the bruise on his hip drew Jason’s attention more than the bare ass did. His hands froze on his belt. Was Chad’s life better or worse after meeting him? How many injuries had he sustained since then? Jason had caused all of them, some indirectly, but they’d hurt him the same as if he’d been the sole source. If Chad hadn’t visited Packanack, he never would’ve known what he’d missed because it wouldn’t have existed. This love wouldn’t exist. Someone couldn’t value something if it wasn’t there in the first place.

And what would Jason have been doing? Waiting for the next batch of counselors that came every summer, heedless of the warnings. Having no purpose beyond killing. Despite the periods of loneliness, he hadn’t wanted to fall in love. Who would ever want to be his friend or marry him anyway? For decades, Mother had been the only person he’d loved. But after experiencing true love and friendship, he didn’t know how he’d survived the past five years without Chad. The meeting could’ve been nicer, but Jason was best friends with him now. Chad carried a lot of strength for a tiny boy. It took a strong person to love a boy like Jason who’d made many mistakes.

Chad’s hands covered his own, which were still frozen. A mischievous half-smile appeared on the pretty face. “Do you need me to help with that?”

Jason lowered his hands and allowed Chad to unfasten the belt, then the button and zipper. The pants were pulled past his hips and released, causing them to pool at his feet. He stepped out of them. His cock was half hard, persevering through the earlier moment of contemplation. The other half wouldn’t take long from the sight of the naked boy in front of him.

Chad turned around and slowly walked to the tub, his ass jiggling with each step. He activated the shower and pulled the curtain back sightly, stepping inside. In the Packanack bathroom, Jason’s fear of revealing his face had made him hesitant to follow, but there wasn’t any hesitation this time. With his cock bobbing, he jogged to the tub and jumped inside, almost slipping on the section of porcelain that wasn’t covered by the rubber mat. Chad chuckled and reached for the bottle of fruity shampoo.

Jason couldn’t see the bright smile from behind, but it was there. Snatching the bottle, he squeezed a big blob onto Chad’s head and put the shampoo on the side of the tub. He combed his fingers through the silky strands, lathering them thoroughly. His cock pushed against Chad’s back like it always did, eager to be inside him again. It would have to wait. These stinky boys needed to get clean first.

After his hair was rinsed out, Chad grabbed the bottle of conditioner and held it over his shoulder. Jason took it from him and squeezed another blob, careful not to get any into Chad’s eyes. He would never get tired of washing Chad’s hair for him. To feel such softness and listen to the little sighs of pleasure... it was almost as enjoyable as touching his ass. Jason finished rinsing the conditioner and reached for the vanilla shower gel, but it was already in Chad’s hand before he could grab it.

“I told you I’d take care of you, didn’t I?”

Chad poured a plentiful amount of gel into his left hand and faced Jason, the other dangling beside him. The soggy bandage had to be replaced again. Standing on the tips of his toes, he slid the goopy hand over the front of Jason’s neck and then the back. Mother had always reminded him to scrub the back of his neck and behind his ears, but sometimes he’d forgotten and she’d wagged a finger. It was strange to have these areas scrubbed by Chad, his stern expression resembling Mother so much.

The hand slid lower, traveling across Jason’s chest, and the mischief returned as Chad gave each nipple a light pinch. He’d only done that once before, in the cabin at Flat Rock where he'd been claimed on the desk. At the time, Jason had jerked back from surprise even though it had felt good.

“Do you like it when I do that?”

Jason nodded. He wouldn’t mind being touched there again, or even in other places. His cock had liked it too, twitching twice against Chad’s belly.

“Good to know.”

Both hands moved to Jason’s back, sliding from his shoulders to the top of his ass. They paused there, hopefulness shining in Chad’s round eyes as he looked up. It was cute that he wanted permission, but he didn’t need it. Jason nodded again, suppressing the urge to chuckle. His ass was given a gentle squeeze, the hands getting bolder as they wandered to a place where he never expected Chad to touch. A fingertip drew a slow circle over his... Jason couldn’t say it. His face turned pink.

“And what about here?” Chad’s voice was quieter than before and he was starting to get hard.

Jason remained motionless, his eyes darting to the white wall tiles past Chad’s head. The fingertip applied slight pressure, not enough to enter, but still caused him to make a sound he hadn’t heard himself make before. A soft whimper. More blood rushed to his face.

“I won’t know unless you tell me.”

Jason nodded slightly. It felt good, but bigger boys shouldn’t be touched there. Chad was the smaller boy, so his role was to submit, wasn’t it? The water temperature had become cooler, and Jason wished the shower nozzle was high enough to reach his burning face. Then he could cool his cheeks down. He couldn’t blame the redness on the steam because there wasn’t any.

“You’re such a good boy, Jason. Letting me touch you here...”

As the finger slipped inside, another hand gave his cock a few gentle strokes. A strange feeling suddenly struck him, like a jolt of electricity, and he jerked back. Chad smiled up at him, a cheeky sort of smile. He was enjoying this more than Jason was, having been denied the opportunity to be this bold in the past. His finger slowly withdrew, and he reached beside him for the shower gel. This time, Jason was faster, snatching the bottle in a blink. He poured half the contents into his hand. Chad needed to get clean too. He still smelled like a rotting corpse.

His neck was too tender to be scrubbed, and the soap would irritate the cuts, but no part of his body could be spared from getting clean. Beginning with the front, Jason slid a hand over the bruised skin with feather-light pressure, avoiding the wounds. He was looking forward to the day when he could gaze at Chad without being reminded of the bad men. His own body would always remind him of the bad girls and other people who’d tried to put an end to his life. If one of them had succeeded...

_“Remember. You cannot die. You can never die.”_

Was that his own mind trying to reassure himself? To justify the continued violence? He could keep killing, keep sustaining injuries, and it wouldn’t matter because nothing could kill him.

_“Mother is talking to you, Jason. Who else would it be? We’ll be together forever. Mommy couldn’t go to heaven. Not when my boy was all alone.”_

But he wasn’t alone anymore. He would never be alone again. He could grow old with his favorite boy, and when the time came for Chad to go to heaven, Jason would follow him. A life without Chad wouldn’t be a life worth living.

_“Your work will never be done. The bad boys and girls must be punished. Who would do it if you were gone?”_

“Jason?”

He’d been frozen again, his hand resting on the back of Chad’s neck. The blue eyes were wide, no longer shining with enjoyment. This was supposed to be comforting, a way to distract himself from his duties and troubles, but that seemed like an impossibility.

“I’ll finish washing up and then get a bath prepared.” Chad’s eyebrows lowered, and his eyes crinkled at the corners. A genuine smile, renewed with hope. “Why don’t you choose one of the nice outfits for me to wear?”

After a brief moment of hesitation, Jason smiled. Chad was trying hard to turn this into a fun and memorable night, so Jason had to try hard too. He stepped out of the tub and jogged to the towel rack, some of the excitement returning to his cock at the thought of seeing Chad in a pretty outfit. His cock wasn’t giving up, and he shouldn’t either. He pulled a towel off and quickly dried himself, just enough to prevent too much water from dripping onto the floors. Everything else in his mind was pushed away, still lurking in the background, but he was determined to prevent it from ruining these moments with Chad. Now and in the future. A strong boy would smile no matter what happened.

Jason laid the towel on the counter. The candle heart was on the other side, and he made a mental note to grab the pack of matches on the bedroom dresser. Last night, before Chad had gotten claimed, the shower session hadn’t been as romantic as Jason had imagined. It had focused more on teasing, and the bath after sex had been to eliminate the traces of jizz. Tonight, Jason wanted something like the first bath he’d enjoyed with Chad.

He jogged out of the bathroom and entered the dark bedroom. The sun rose and set every day, but its full beauty couldn’t always be seen because of the clouds. Not a hint of gold shone through the window across from him. It was like time had skipped ahead, unless Chad had gone shopping far later than he’d realized. Maybe breakfast had been lunch, lunch had been dinner, and dinner had been a snack. Jason opened the jewelry box and checked the watches. They were still stuck on the same time of 3:42.

Returning to the doorway, he turned the light on, making it easier to find what he was looking for. Although he was capable of seeing in the dark, his sense ability also strained his eyes, so he couldn’t use it without taking a break occasionally. He knelt in front of the toy chest and opened it. Making choices was a difficult task with so many options. Chad could be a kitty, fox, bunny, or wolf, with multiple color variations. He’d already been a black bunny and white kitty. Jason picked out white fox ears and a matching tail. Chad wouldn’t have to wear the tail overnight if he didn’t want to.

Jason stood up and put the items onto the dresser. Now he had to choose an outfit for Chad to wear. He opened a drawer, which contained maid and nurse outfits. The nurse outfit didn’t look anything like the one that Robbie had worn at the morgue. This was made of a shiny, slippery material that creaked as Jason pulled it out of the drawer. There weren’t any sleeves, and the neckline plunged low, merging with a zipper below the chest. A red cross was positioned where Chad’s heart would be. The dress was very small and short, looking like it would barely cover his round ass. Perfect accessibility, but hopefully Chad could breathe while wearing it. Jason put the dress beside the fox stuff.

The drawer also held a lacy thing that resembled half an underwear. Two elastic straps were hanging down, and they had a clip on the ends. Maybe this was used to prevent the long socks from sliding off. Chad’s legs were silky smooth, so this would be useful. It would also leave the dick and ass areas exposed. Jason grabbed the lacy thing and a pair of opaque white socks, putting them with the rest.

Underwear would be pointless except for the appearance factor. Chad would look cute wearing it with the dress, but Jason’s cock wouldn’t like having a layer of fabric acting as a barrier. Jason shrugged and grabbed a white lace underwear anyway, along with the matching gloves and hat. The whole outfit should be worn for the sake of completion. He piled everything together and closed the drawers. The bath had to be ready by now, so he took the matches and jogged back to Chad.

“Great timing. I was just about to call you.”

The shower curtain had been pulled back completely, exposing tall bubbles that smelled of vanilla. Jason had found a few bottles when he’d been out yesterday, and Chad had discovered them in the cabinet. The beautiful boy was standing beside the tub, waiting for him to enter first. Jason turned the light off and used his sense ability to find his way to the candles. He struck a match and lit each of them.

He couldn’t remember how many times his cock had awakened and gone to sleep, but it had to be close to ten, if not more. The golden body of his Chad drew its interest yet again, and Jason couldn’t stop himself from chuckling at his cock’s perseverance. Even if it was betrayed a thousand times, it would always wake up. He entered the tub and slowly sat at the back, the water level rising precariously. His extended legs were close together, giving Chad the sole option of sitting on his lap.

“You’re already hard, so there’s no danger here.”

Chad smiled and stepped inside, carefully lowering himself as he faced the front of the tub. The thick, hard length pressed against his ass, making him shiver despite the warm water. After a few wiggles to get comfortable, his body eventually went limp in Jason’s arms, and his breathing began to slow. Jason kept the bandaged hand above the bubbles, holding it on Chad’s shoulder.

Tonight would be a long night. Jason had originally planned to search every inch of this town, even outside the boundaries, for Chris. Only a stupid girl would return home, and she wasn’t stupid, having managed to escape him with a little help from Chad. Jason wasn’t angry at him for doing that. Chad had a kind heart and likely believed the rage could disappear through non-violent methods. Perhaps it would’ve, had she not embedded his own axe into his skull. The same applied to Ginny. She’d injured him badly, causing him to fall onto the floor of his shack, but she hadn’t expected him to rise again and kill Paul after the hairy dog had provided a distraction.

There was no shortage of bad people to hunt. If a few got away, it wouldn’t be the end of the world, as long as they didn’t threaten his future with Chad in the process. On the other side of the argument, his failures would haunt him. He had to make Mother proud and prove himself worthy of her sacrifice. Or did he? Although Mother had expressed pleasure over killing Barry and Claudette in revenge, the main purpose of her later kills had been to resurrect him. Maybe she wouldn’t have wanted her son to turn out this way. Maybe she would’ve wanted him to be happy instead of bitter and vengeful. All of those times when she’d praised him for the kills in her name, maybe he’d heard her praising him because that’s what he’d wanted to hear. It had been decades since he’d been called a good boy.

Perhaps Mother really was inside his head. She’d been a smart woman in life, and a smart woman would carefully choose when to speak and when to stay silent for maximum effect. To control him and make him carry out more revenge against the counselors and sluts she despised. His mind was guarded most of the time because he’d learned to establish a mental barrier, or so he thought. This barrier could be the creation of a crazy boy. Nonexistent, like her voice. The real Mother would’ve disapproved of his sexual relationship with Chad. She’d been a Christian, often reading him passages from a black book called the Bible. Boys were supposed to be with girls, and no sex before wedlock. That was a fancy word for marriage.

Jason didn’t agree with those beliefs. If Chad had been born a girl, things might’ve turned out the same. A relationship created from boldness, curiosity, and obsession, later developing into something deeper. Or maybe Chad would’ve ended up as a pile of meat on the cabin floor if he’d been dressed like a slut. Then again, his speedo hadn’t been very modest, showing even more skin than the slut at the campfire. Based on that logic, he should’ve been killed regardless of the bulge squeeze.

Smiling wearily, Jason released his boy briefly and massaged a temple. His brain was beginning to hurt from the thinking. In the end, his attraction to Chad extended far beyond his appearance. This bold boy had done what no other person would be brave enough to do, but when people were meant to be together, it didn’t matter what they had between their legs. The inside was what truly mattered, even though Chad was very beautiful and had a nice ass.

Jason’s smile faded as he thought of the other possibility. A scary monster could be inside him, like the bad thing. In her diary, Mother had said she’d taken the strange book from Elias’ trailer. Before his death, Elias might’ve read from the book and summoned a monster. Could the monster have possessed the man who’d put Jason inside Mother’s belly? Maybe abilities could be passed that way. Through possession and jizzing.

It was gross to think of Mother having that happen to her. She’d only started to read from the book after the drowning, so in this scenario, she wouldn't have been the person to summon the bad thing originally. And someone else had walked out of the lake. Not Jason. The bad thing, leaving Mother’s body after the decapitation? Her violent behavior hadn’t ended with chopping Elias into tiny pieces. As a young girl, she’d killed a babysitter too, possibly under the influence of the bad thing. Or instead of the bad thing, maybe Mother’s spirit had entered Jason after the resurrection. She’d helped his weakened, rotting body out of the lake. That would explain the presence of her voice.

This was hurting his brain even more. Once again, he’d gotten distracted from the main point of tonight. To have fun with Chad and forget about his problems, at least for a short time. His cock hadn’t forgotten though. It was still hard from the ass resting on top. An ass that it could barely wait to be inside. Jason slipped a hand between Chad’s legs, causing him to wake up with a soft grunt.

“Sorry. I was just so comfortable.”

Chad shivered again, this time in response to the gentle squeezes and the cool water. He turned around, carefully navigating through the mess of limbs until he was straddling Jason. The bubbles had been reduced to half their height, exposing the carving over his heart. It was light pink and would eventually fade to white as all scars did. This boy would always belong to him, even if Jason was gone. His mark would be left on the world in more ways than one. He wouldn’t be forgotten and left to rot.

“Hey. What’s wrong?”

There must’ve been something on his face that Chad didn’t like, and Jason found himself longing for his mask for the third time today. He clutched Chad to his chest, finding comfort in the warmth and reminder that all of this was real. Jason hadn’t killed this boy on that fateful night a week ago. He’d learned how to smile, laugh, and love again. It was a type of love that was far different from the love between a mother and her child. Mother was gone, but Chad was still here, and it was time for Jason to give his cock some attention. He smiled and lifted Chad off his lap, bubbles sliding down the golden body.

“That’s more than enough bathing. I’m starting to turn into a prune.”

Chad stepped out of the tub and walked to the front, his jiggly ass looking more tempting than ever as he bent over to drain the water. There were still so many positions to try.

Maybe Chad could be face down on the bed, pinned with Jason’s weight, squirming against him and unable to escape. If Chad tried to get up, this very long and very wide cock would go deeper inside. His hand would slide under his body, trying to bring himself closer to release, but Jason would pin it against the mattress with the other one. Chad would climax from the hard thrusts alone. The jizz would stay in his belly until Jason was finally ready to pull out.

Or maybe Chad could sit on the edge of a table. He would lean back and grip the sides, begging for cock with his legs spread, able to watch the complete insertion. The thrusts would be slow at first, and his shaft would leak with excitement at the sight of the thick length disappearing into his tiny body and reappearing again. After he begged for a faster and harder pace, the table would slam into the wall from the strength of the thrusts.

Chad could get on his knees with his legs pressed tight together, his face down, and his ass up. His ass would sway, wanting to be penetrated deeply. Jason would brace his hands and feet on either side of Chad’s body, providing the cock that was so desperately wanted. Even deeper jizz.

Jason could lay on his side and face Chad, a smooth leg hooked over his hip, slow and gentle thrusts until Chad squirmed and begged for him to be faster. Chad’s cheeks would turn pink as he pressed his face against Jason’s chest.

Or...

A towel landed on Jason’s head, jerking him out of his fantasies. He’d been fantasizing for several minutes apparently. The soggy bandage had been replaced already. He pulled the towel off his head and stood up, smiling more brightly than before as Chad’s eyes fixated on the bubbles sticking to his cock.

Jason stepped onto the bath mat and extended his arm, waiting for the offer to dry him. It had been a few days since the last towel game, though the test would be different from previous versions. How long could Chad last without wanting to bend over the counter and have fun right here?

“I knew this was coming.”

Sighing exaggeratedly, Chad dropped his towel onto the counter and walked to Jason. He accepted Jason’s towel and ran it across his chest and abdomen, standing far enough to avoid the protruding cock. His hands paused above it, the towel draping over the length like a curtain. It was already hard, so what was he afraid of?

His mouth twitched into a grin as he dabbed it from base to tip, causing it to bob with each movement. Kneeling down, he turned his head sideways to get every drop of water from the underside. The huge balls were his next target, with many nooks and crannies to dry. He was very thorough, knowing that Jason would wag a finger if anything was left untouched.

Jason turned around, giving access to his backside. The towel was wrapped around a thigh and dragged down, drying the water in a single pass, and then the other leg was done. A light whip on his ass caused him to let out a startled grunt, and his hands clenched. Chad was being bold again, tempting Jason to bend him over and give him a few hard smacks. Maybe that’s what Chad desired. To be disciplined for his boldness. He seemed to be testing his luck to quite an extent, and a naughty smirk was undoubtedly on his face.

The floor tiles creaked as Chad stood up. He stretched the towel across Jason’s ass, giving each cheek a gentle squeeze, then moved it up along his back, shoulders, and down his arms. Now it was Chad’s turn to get dried. Jason faced him and took the damp towel from his grasp, eyes narrowing sternly at the smirk. If Chad was too naughty, he wouldn’t get to choose the toys tonight, and the roles would be the way they used to be. Jason had intended to relinquish more control because Chad wanted to take care of him, but that plan could easily change.

“I promise to be a good boy.”

The smirk disappeared and Jason nodded in satisfaction. He walked past Chad to the counter and exchanged the damp towel with the one he’d barely used earlier. Chad remained where he was, facing the tub. He was probably smirking again. Jason returned to him and whipped the towel against his ass, making Chad flinch and gasp.

“I’m sorry, Jason. I won’t do it again.”

The apology wasn’t genuine, his voice shaking from laughter that threatened to burst out. Jason glared at his ass, slight redness appearing from the strike. Maybe he should get the damp towel again. It would have more whipping power. No, with his strength, Chad would go flying into the tub, and Jason didn’t want to add more bruises. Plus his cock’s patience was running out. It should’ve been inside Chad already.

Jason’s hands moved in a blur as he dried Chad’s arms and back. He squatted to dry the smooth legs. Except for on his head, Chad didn’t have a single hair on his body. Some boys were hairier than others, so maybe he was naturally smooth. Or he could’ve removed the hairs somehow. Many strange items were in the cabinet, like those waxing strips.

He paused as he reached the beautiful ass, the towel dangling from his suspended hands. The scent of the vanilla bubble bath was intoxicating, making Jason remember tasting Chad in the cabin. His boy had enjoyed it a lot, to the point where Chad had been leaning back against his face. Jason chuckled as he dried both cheeks.

“What’s so funny?”

As he circled Chad’s hole with the pad of his thumb, he placed a light kiss near there, on the curve of a cheek.

“Oh. You’re remembering when I... yeah. That was extremely embarrassing. It was my first time.”

The night at Packanack had been a night of many firsts with two boys who’d had no idea what they’d been doing. Jason should’ve been patient with him from the very beginning, but that was in the past. He couldn’t take back what he’d done. As a boy who was now more knowledgeable about the subject of sex, he could prevent himself from making those mistakes again.

He stood up and touched Chad’s shoulder, asking him to turn around. The request was obeyed, revealing a rosy face. Chad focused on the middle of Jason’s chest as his upper half was dried. Only one place remained. The tiny shaft, even more tiny because it wasn’t fully hard. Meanwhile, Jason’s cock was still sticking straight out, almost ready to snap from the weight and leave his balls behind. The tip brushed against Chad’s belly, making him blush further.

Jason cupped the tiny shaft with the towel, completely enveloping it. The whimper that followed made his cock jerk. Chad was too cute, his legs trembling and his shaft twitching in Jason’s palm. His eyes darted to the sheath on the counter, and the desperate boy was likely imagining himself being bent over and taken from behind, hard and deep until Jason was ready to knot him. Jason smiled and released him, hearing a disappointed sigh. Chad wouldn’t be taken in the bathroom. He had to get dressed in his pretty outfit first.

Chad cleared his throat and tried to tame his wild hair, running both hands through it. “Did you pick something for me to wear?”

Jason nodded excitedly and whirled around to the towel rack, clearing the space in a few long steps. He draped the towel over it and snatched the other damp one off the counter, also draping it to save Chad the trouble of cleaning up. The sheath and fake cock were resting on a third. After blowing the candles out, Chad grabbed the toys and winked, filling Jason with more excitement. His little mate wanted to be knotted again.

The rest of the bathroom could be cleaned up later. Jason zoomed out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, jogging at his full speed to the side of the bed. He jumped onto it, creating a low dip in the mattress, and leaned his back against the mountain of pillows. Distant chuckles came from the bathroom, getting closer as Chad joined him in the bedroom. They ceased when Chad noticed the nurse outfit on the dresser. He froze beside it. Maybe he’d been hoping for the weird shirt with the holes and the underwear with the thin piece of cloth that disappeared between his cheeks. The outfit he’d worn at Higgins Haven with the black bunny ears.

“I’m not wearing that.” Chad put a hand on his hip, the other tossing the cock and sheath onto the dresser. He stared at the outfit with a blank expression, his eyes flicking over each piece. “It won’t even fit.”

Jason sighed loudly and gazed at his cock, making the saddest face he could. He closed his eyes halfway and tried to lower the eyebrows he didn’t have. His mouth almost twitched into a smile as he heard the creaking of the shiny white dress.

“Well, you chose it just for me, so...”

Chad picked up the white lacy underwear. He bent over and slid his legs through the openings, tugging them up. As he returned to an upright position, he lifted each foot off the floor and scratched his balls, making Jason chuckle. The material was itchy and too tight, even though his dick had gone to sleep. Chad turned his head and glared at him, then broke out into a grin. He looked at the outfit again.

“Stockings. Great. As if I’m not itchy enough.”

So the socks were actually stockings. Chad hooked his thumbs into one of them and rolled it up until he reached the foot area. Extending a leg, he slipped the stocking over it, easily balancing on his other foot. The sight was strangely arousing, and the mischievous expression returned as he noticed the cock twitching at the other end of the room. He bundled the clothing and accessories in his arms and carried them to the side of the bed.

“Want a closer view?”

Jason nodded, his breathing getting a bit quicker as the other leg stretched out on the bed. The stocking was slowly pulled over it, ending halfway up the thigh. He leaned to the side and felt the soft material at Chad’s ankle, only managing to enjoy a few seconds before the leg withdrew.

Chad grabbed the half an underwear with the straps hanging down. He slipped his legs into the circle and pulled it up until the top was over the waistband of the other underwear. The clips were attached to the stockings. He seemed to know about this stuff. A beautiful boy like him would’ve already been with girls, and the thought was disappointing, but Jason didn’t let it show. At least he’d been Chad’s first boy.

The dress was unzipped and wrapped around Chad’s body. Sucking his stomach in, he zipped it up and exhaled sharply. It was very tight, making his waist look smaller, and the bottom of the underwear peeked out. Jason twirled a finger, requesting a view of the other side. Chad turned in a circle, the tightness emphasizing the curves of his ass. The round cheeks were also exposed slightly, providing only a taste.

Four items remained. The gloves, hat, ears, and tail. He slipped his hands into each glove, which reached just above his elbows. They were shiny and white like the dress. The ears and hat came next. The hat would definitely fall off during the fun, but Jason would remember this cute sight forever. The only problem with the tail was the lack of access to Chad’s ass, though that issue could be resolved easily. Jason knelt on the side of the bed and dug his nails into the underwear, tearing a hole at the back.

“I was just about to ask.”

Chad reached for the tail, but Jason grabbed it and gestured for him to turn around again. Rosiness spread over Chad's face as he complied and bent over, his hole showing through the rip in the lace. The hat fell off as Jason had expected, but it had been cute while it lasted. Grabbing a bottle of vanilla lubricant from the nightstand, Jason drizzled it over the metal part of the plug, being careful to avoid spilling it on the silk blanket. He’d forgotten to put the blankets from the laundry basket back onto the bed.

As if reading his mind, Chad straightened up and walked to the dresser to retrieve them. He jogged back and hastily laid them over the silk, putting the green blanket over the flower one. Jason lifted his legs so they could be tucked under. They weren’t big enough to cover even half of the bed, but they would provide some protection from jizz. And Jason had a lot to give him after waiting this long.

Chad was also excited at the idea of getting filled, bending over again without being asked. He hadn’t been prepared with a fake cock beforehand, so this was going to be painful for him, despite the small size of the plug. Jason pressed the tapered tip against his hole and slowly pushed it inside, his cock twitching as the plug began to disappear. At the thickest point, Chad whimpered and made a stop sign with his hand.

“Give me a few seconds.”

The plug was slightly wider than one of Jason’s fingers. If Chad could hardly take this, how was he going to take a huge cock and knot? Sex didn’t have to involve penetration, so maybe that should be saved for another day. The slippery gloves would feel nice if they were sliding along Jason’s length, but he’d hoped to feel the warmth and comfort of being fully sheathed inside his boy.

Chad lowered his hand and gripped his knee, legs trembling. “I’m good now.”

The rest of the plug slipped inside, held in place by the tight grip around the stem. Chad slowly straightened his back and turned to Jason, one of his hips jutting to the side as he posed. A gloved hand rested on it.

“How do I look?”

He was the cutest boy in the world, looking way better than the slut at the morgue. Jason smiled and gave him a thumbs up. His cock was also interested in the sight, dripping onto the blanket. Hopefully it wouldn’t jizz before the real fun started. That would be a waste of a load, and jizz was precious, made just for Chad’s enjoyment.

Chad lifted the hand off his hip and pinched the opening of the glove, wiggling his fingers as he pulled it higher. “Are you ready for your checkup?”

Jason tilted his head. Checkup. Examination? Chad was wearing a nurse outfit, so that had to be the meaning. After Jason's birth, Mother hadn’t brought him to the hospital because the staff had called him a devil baby, and he’d never gotten sick to warrant a trip there. He didn’t know how these things worked, but he was willing to find out. He crawled to the pillows and leaned against them.

“Good boy. I didn’t even have to ask. Now wait here while I fetch the examination tools.”

Chad spun on his heels and placed one foot directly in front of the other, causing his hips to sway as he walked to the toy chest. Slowly bending over, he grabbed a pair of wrist cuffs with black silk ties, a lumpy cock with a cord sticking out of the bottom, and the stick with the bundle of black feathers at the end. Jason’s eyes narrowed as he watched each item get retrieved. This stuff was for restraining and teasing. The sheath and small cock were also taken from the dresser. What was this naughty boy planning?

The hip swaying resumed as Chad walked back to the bed. Whatever he was planning, the thought was making him hard, a noticeable tent pitching near the bottom of the dress. He laid the toys on the nightstand in a row and ran a finger across them. A cuff was chosen first.

“I’ll need you to extend your arms as far as you can.”

Chad had let Jason use the pink handcuffs, so it would be fair to follow the order. But Jason liked touching Chad and feeling his soft skin during sex, and he wouldn’t be able to do that if his hands were tied to the bed. He shook his head vigorously.

“Don’t you want to be a good boy and let me do my work?”

The question was emphasized with raised eyebrows and a wagging finger. Mother used to do that when she’d been warning of consequences from a failure to obey. Jason wanted to be a good boy, but... he sighed and extended an arm. He would do anything to make Chad happy, and maybe this was normal for examinations. Then the boy being examined wouldn’t disrupt the nurse’s work.

Chad pulled the cuff apart. One end had hundreds of tiny hooks, and the other end was made of a scratchy-looking material that was able to stick to it. He could barely wrap the cuff around Jason’s wrist, the two ends sticking together an inch from their edges. A weak tug would separate them. He tied the silk around the bedpost in a loose knot, just above the mattress so Jason’s arm didn’t have to be raised. The position was comfortable.

Grabbing the second cuff, Chad climbed onto the bed and crawled to the other side, the fluffy tail swishing behind him. Jason gave it a quick stroke while he had the chance. He extended his arm, and this wrist was also cuffed and tied to the bedpost. It was strange to be on the receiving end of the restraints, and his heart was beating a bit faster than usual, but his cock liked this.

Chad crawled to the nightstand and grabbed the lumpy cock. He drizzled lubricant over the short length and put the bottle back. The glove made creaking sounds as he stroked the cock. Was he going to use it on himself? Or... Jason’s face turned pink as the cock came closer, transferred to Chad’s left hand. Another rested on Jason’s thigh.

“Will you spread your legs for me, Jason?”

Jason shook his head so rapidly that he almost got dizzy. Bigger boys weren’t supposed to do that. They weren’t supposed to take cocks. That role was for smaller boys.

“I have to ensure your prostate is functioning normally. Please be a good boy and spread them for me.”

Chad was trying his best not to smile, but his eyes were sparkling. The sparkles disappeared, replaced by a hint of worry as Jason moved his right arm slightly. Chad knew these restraints wouldn’t last if Jason didn’t want them to. One second and this tiny boy could be flat on his back, accepting what Jason gave him, but a big part of this relationship was trying new things. Although it made Jason’s face turn more pink, he pulled his legs closer to his chest, feet flat on the bed, and spread them wide enough to expose his... he still couldn’t say it.

“You’re such a great patient. Look at you, exposing yourself to me.”

The voice was soft and smooth like silk, sending a shiver through him. He looked into the mirror at the end of the bed, wishing it wasn’t there. His cheeks burned like fire as he closed his eyes.

“Open your eyes. I want you to see everything.”

Jason opened them, focusing on the sight of his naughty Chad instead of the mirror. A slick finger reached between his legs, circling his... it pushed inside, so slender that no pain was felt, only pressure. With each press on the special spot, his cock twitched and dripped onto his abdomen. He kept his mouth in a tight line, refusing to whimper again, and the finger withdrew.

“Your prostate appears to be functioning fine, but I’ll need to do further tests.”

What tests? The lumpy cock returned to Chad’s right hand. This couldn’t be good. Jason swallowed as the cock was positioned where the finger used to be. It would probably feel nice because Chad always enjoyed penetration, but this was still weird.

“Tell me if you want me to stop.”

Jason grunted softly in acknowledgement. The cock slowly slid inside, accompanied by a slight burn. It was only about the size of his finger, not requiring much time to be fully inserted. He couldn’t bear to look at it anymore, averting his eyes to focus on Chad’s smiling face. It was the half-smile of a bad boy, waiting for Jason to break free and take control.

Chad looked over his shoulder and raised a hand to his chin. “Now what shall I examine next... perhaps your body’s other responses to a stimulus.”

He leaned back and grabbed the feather tickler. Jason shivered as the soft feathers brushed against his nipples, getting them hard with a few tickles.

“Everything seems to be great here.” Chad moved the tickler to the underside of Jason's cock, avoiding the dripping tip. “But what about here? Let’s try it.”

The feathers gently trailed down, making Jason shiver again. They stopped at the base and pulled back. Letting out a soft grunt and raising his hips slightly, he asked for more tickles.

“You’re so cute. Of course you can have more.”

With short strokes, Chad brushed the feathers over the middle, his own breathing getting faster from the sight of Jason squirming. Finally noticing his embarrassing behavior, Jason stopped moving and the tickles also ceased. He was being such a desperate boy.

“Your cock is dripping so much. I bet you could cum just from this. But that would be a waste, wouldn’t it?”

Jason nodded. Everything Chad said was true. A few more strokes and his cock would be ready to explode, but Jason didn’t want to do that yet. He wanted to be inside his Chad and give him every spurt.

The tickler was put onto the nightstand, and the small cock was grabbed and covered with lubricant. This had to be for Chad to use on himself. Moving between Jason’s legs, he faced the mirror and bent over, resting a forearm on the bed. The fluffy tail was inches away. Longing to feel its softness, Jason pulled on the restraints, nearly enough to separate the cuffs.

Chad gripped the base of the fur and slowly pulled the plug out until only the tip was inside, then pushed it back in. The removal and insertion was repeated, his legs shaking and quiet whimpers escaping him. A sticky strand of precum fell onto the bed.

“Feels so good, Jason. Don’t you wish you were inside me?”

The naughtiness was getting worse. Chad was clearly trying to tempt Jason into taking him by force, but it wouldn’t work. Tonight’s session was about finally giving Chad the greater control he’d been craving. It could be a long time until it happened again, so he had to enjoy it while the opportunity was there. Jason preferred to be the boy in charge.

Chuckling breathlessly, Chad removed the tail and put it on the blanket. He released the fake cock that had still been gripped in his other hand. His fingers dug into the hole in the lace, ripping the underwear until it came off in tatters. He tossed what was left onto the floor. The view was much better this way, revealing how hard this naughty boy had become. The cock was the next toy to slip inside, meeting little resistance from the prior stretching. He returned to a kneeling position, one hand holding the base as he rocked his hips. Jason pulled on the restraints again, more forcefully than before. This was happening so close to him, the slippery dress almost touching his twitching length.

If Chad continued to tease, his climax could come before he got what he truly wanted. Something much longer, thicker, and hotter than the tiny toy he was using. He slipped a hand under the dress and gave his neglected dick a few strokes, his ass pressing as far down as it could, making the whole thing disappear except for the toy’s balls. The slick cock appeared again and slid out completely as he raised his hips. The teasing was satisfying but not enough, just like last time. He put the cock aside and turned to Jason, his breathing ragged and his face flushed pink. The gloved hands trailed down Jason’s sweaty chest.

“Nurses aren’t supposed to do this with their patients, but... you want this too, right?”

Jason nodded. It seemed like he’d waited hours for this moment after leaving the cemetery. Leaning to each side of the bed, Chad untied the restraints and detached the cuffs, which had been hanging by mere threads. Jason hurled them into the toy chest as Chad grabbed the bottle of lubricant and the sheath. They were placed between Jason’s legs, where Chad re-positioned himself again.

The lumpy cock was still inside Jason, and that realization brought another rush of blood to his face. He reached for the base, but a hand gently gripped his wrist.

“I know it’s weird, but it’ll make you feel even better once I turn it on. Trust me.”

His wrist was released, and he moved it beside him. The embarrassment flew away, replaced by anticipation as a hand gripped the base of his cock, another drizzling cool lubricant over it. The temperature did nothing to calm the heat coursing through his body, his slick length pulsing on its own. The cap snapped shut and the bottle was laid on the blanket. Slow strokes made his breaths become uneven, each inch thoroughly covered.

Chad grabbed the sheath by the bottom and pulled it over the entire length. He chuckled as he hooked his thumbs over the loop, his other fingers gripping the area behind Jason’s balls. “I don’t know how you managed to squeeze them through this thing.”

The slut at the store had asked about the size of Jason’s cock, but she hadn’t asked about his balls, so they required some squishing to push them into the loop. With a bit of grunting and force by Chad, they finally squeezed through. His hands shook as he grasped the bottle and poured lubricant over the sheath, focusing his efforts on the knot. Even if he could hardly walk afterward, he wanted to be fully claimed again. Would that be a smart decision, considering the events to come later tonight? Probably not, but Jason wasn’t about to complain.

Lowering his legs, he extended them on the bed and crooked a finger, beckoning for his Chad to come closer. Lips brushed against his own as Chad straddled him, kneeling as high as possible to reach them. The pretty face looked feverish, cheeks still flushed with desire. Jason cupped them between his palms and closed his eyes, groaning into the kiss. The softness of Chad’s lips, the scent of vanilla, and the feeling of their cocks sliding together overpowered his senses. There was no one else in the whole world except for him and his favorite boy.

Jason slid his nails down the slippery material of the dress, creating long gouges from the neckline to the bottom. These silly clothes were hiding Chad's beauty, and they were meant for girls, not a boy who didn't want to wear them. Jason unzipped and removed the dress, exposing white marks where his nails had barely scratched the skin. He tossed it onto the floor. The lace garment that held the stockings up was shredded down the middle with a single pull, and the clips flew off, taking pieces of silk with them. Leaning back and bracing his hands behind him, Chad allowed the stockings to be ripped open and thrown away. Now bare except for the gloves, he seated himself on Jason's lap and peeled them off, then removed the fluffy ears. A pile of fur, glossy material, silk, and tattered lace lay beside the bed.

He gripped Chad’s hips and raised them, aligning their height with the dripping head of his cock, still pulsing with need against his abdomen. The time for playing games was over, and Jason needed to feel what he’d craved since waking up this morning. Chad grasped the shaft halfway down and positioned the tip at his entrance, which had already tightened from the limited stretching. Biting his lip, he lowered himself slightly while Jason stroked his hips. The urge to pull him down onto the entire length, knot and all, was strong.

Once the tip popped inside, accompanied by a low groan and a whimper of pain, Chad rested his forehead against Jason’s chest and held onto his back tightly. It was always the worst part, yet also the best, to feel the warmth and tightness start to suck him in. Jason only needed to have more patience and then the rest would come, buried deep in his boy’s body. The sight in the mirror was nearly enough to make him come undone. To see the tiny ass poised above his big dick, lubricant and precum sliding down the long length... he groaned again and raised his hips by the slightest amount, watching the knot get a bit closer to its target.

The trembling boy clutched him tighter and took a few more inches, still above the halfway point, hot breath puffing against his chest. He rose back up to the tip and down again to the same position, squeezing to create more friction on the sensitive spot. Jason ceased the stroking, his hands digging into the hips hard enough to cause another whimper. The sound made his grip loosen, and the urge to use force disappeared. The slow movements continued as the tight ass tried to get accustomed to the thickness, each pass of the wide tip causing precum to leak from his boy’s dick. It slid down Jason’s abs, adding to the whirlwind of sensations being felt.

Flicking his eyes to the vibration controller beside his knee, he wondered what that sensation would feel like. The toy was so unobtrusive that he’d forgotten it was inside him. He reached past Chad, intending to press a button, then retracted his hand and rested it on a slender hip. Pressing a button would surely send him over the peak, and it would be too soon. Chad still hadn’t taken all of him yet, trying to overcome the pain by going at a pace that wasn’t nearly fast enough.

As if sensing the growing impatience, his good boy took a deep breath and sank down, the tight muscles around his cock relaxing to lessen the discomfort on the way. The slick, warm ass accepted every thick inch it could. A loud rush of air followed, the knot resting against the hole that clamped around him again. His Chad was trying so hard to take care of him and make him feel good. Jason moved a hand to the soft hair and gently stroked it. The dark blue eyes finally looked up at him, heavy-lidded with pleasure and shining with unshed tears. He kissed Chad’s forehead, making the pretty face turn a darker shade of pink. Jason couldn’t ask for a better boy.

Chad reached behind himself and pressed a button on the device, resulting in a slight vibration that made Jason’s eyelids flutter. His cock twitched inside of his mate, and he growled, low and feral-sounding to his ears. Small hands moved to grip soft thighs, and his own hands lowered to the blanket, grasping the fabric tightly. He looked straight ahead to the mirror, watching the beautiful sight of his big dick being ridden with slow sways. If Jason wasn’t gripping the blanket, this tiny boy would be fearing for his life. So strong was the desire to lift him up and slam him back down like a doll, repeatedly, until the time came to knot him.

“You can be a bit rough with me."

Jason shook his head, his eyes darting down to Chad’s face. The glistening lips were parted, soft breaths emerging. Strength could be a difficult thing to control sometimes, and it was safer this way. Chad could set the pace, knowing the limitations of his sore body from last night. Another half-smile appeared as he reached for the device behind him, pressing a different button. Jason’s nails pierced the blanket and dug into his palms, the pressure and heat in his cock at a boiling point.

He closed his eyes and leaned back, focusing on the sounds of his mate’s ass slapping against the knot, coupled with the little moans. Such wonderful sounds as the tight hole dragged halfway up his length and then met the knot in quick bursts. The toy vibrated quietly in the background, sending streams of precum into the slick heat, making it even easier for Chad to drive the thick length deep inside.

The intensity of the vibrations suddenly doubled, and Jason’s eyes flew open, the first spurt of cum shooting inside of his mate. Hands gripped his wrists, pressing them firmly on the blanket, preventing the instinctive urge to pull Chad’s hips down onto the knot. The riding didn’t stop, even as hot cum dripped down his abdomen from a different source. The narrow gap between their bodies became wider as the naughty boy leaned back slightly, providing a wondrous view of the white cream spilling out of his pulsing hole. There was something incredibly obscene about the sight of him being filled so much that his ass couldn’t hold all of it. Growling deeply, Jason made no effort to free his hands, submitting to the explosion of pleasure. The added wetness of the cum further eased the passage of his cock, and the slaps of the knot grew in frequency until every spurt had warmed his mate.

Releasing Jason’s wrists, Chad rose as high as his wobbly knees would allow, moaning as the thick cock slowly reappeared until only the tip was inside. He pressed a palm against the base of his bobbing dick, forcing it back so he could watch the cum spill out of him. It painted the entire sheath in white, and he was so distracted by the sight that he didn’t think to turn the toy off. Jason smiled faintly and pressed the button, giving his heartbeat a chance to return to a normal level. But this greedy boy seemed to have a different plan. The head of his cock was captured in a vice grip, and the rest was sucked into Chad’s heat and tightness until the knot was at his entrance.

Jason understood what his little mate wanted without needing to be asked. The pleading blue eyes drifted over Jason’s smiling face, and the round ass pressed down, desperate for his knot. Chad wasn’t generally a shy boy, but he knew that he was being greedy, so he couldn’t ask for it. He gazed down at his fiddling hands, looking cuter than ever. Although his dick was getting soft, he still craved that feeling of complete fullness. Who could refuse him?

Whatever he wanted, he could have. Jason gripped his hips but stopped there, content to watch Chad squirm in anticipation of receiving the rest of his cock. The silky smooth legs spread wider until the top of the knot was perfectly positioned between the soft cheeks, cum sticking to them. Jason’s cock had also begun to soften, surprisingly satisfied with giving only one load, but it twitched back to life. The mirror was dangerous. Chad moaned quietly at the feeling of the thick length swelling inside him once again. He pressed his face against Jason’s chest, muffling the sounds. The cuteness was almost too much, making the desire to knot him go away. His sweet moans would turn into pained cries.

Chad looked up at him, panting and sweaty, his arms hanging at his sides. “I need you to fill me up again. Please.”

Did Chad remember the bad men today? Maybe when he’d been dreaming. Regardless, his request wouldn’t be denied when it was asked so nicely. Before he could blink, the knot popped inside from a forceful pull, and he slumped forward. A loud, relieved sigh left his mouth instead of the expected scream, and his arms encircled Jason’s back in a loose hold. His hips rocked lazily, lacking the vigor from earlier, but it was still enough to make Jason groan and close his eyes briefly in bliss. He pressed Chad down as far as possible, simultaneously raising his own hips to clear the tiny space between himself and his mate.

The deep penetration and the stimulation against his prostate drew another sweet moan out of Chad, his dick sliding along the wet ridges of Jason’s abs. Fueled by the possibility of a second climax, Chad straightened up, hips regaining their speed. Jason released his hold on them, moving his hands to the bed. The base of the knot appeared as Chad rose on his knees, only this time, he was able to glance over his shoulder and see it peeking out. Another stream of precum seeped from his dick, and he shuddered, continuing to watch as a bit more of the knot appeared. His cum-covered hole swallowed it again, ass sinking down to the hilt, balls pressed tight against him.

The process was repeated, his body shaking violently as he rose even higher, slightly more of the knot appearing between his cheeks. This tiny boy was enthralled with watching himself getting penetrated by a thick, long dick and a huge knot. The pain from the stretching eventually became too much to handle, so he settled for fast and short thrusts, more of the squishing sounds arising from the earlier cum filling him up.

As Jason felt his own climax coming, he grasped Chad’s dick and gave it a few strokes, only enough to push him over the edge. Chad looked away from the mirror, thighs quivering as he spurted over Jason’s flexing abs, dick pulsing up and down. His tightening inner walls accepted the second load as deep as possible, the cum locked inside by the knot. He gripped his thighs in an effort to keep himself upright, breathing so hard that he sounded ready to collapse. His body swayed, and Jason quickly grasped his hips to prevent him from falling. There was still more to give him. Panting harshly, Jason closed his eyes and pushed up until his cock finally finished pumping its load. A sweaty body slumped against his, and a soft chuckle was heard as Chad’s arms draped around his neck.

The chuckles intensified as Jason dug a hand under his ass, searching for the base of the stupid cock that had been inside him for far too long. He gripped the cord and slowly pulled the toy out, grimacing at the weird sensation. His ass wouldn’t be trying one of those anytime soon. He flung the cock into the hallway and sighed in relief. His eyes met the sparkling ones below him, and he tried to glare at the grinning face, but he soon found himself chuckling too. He clutched Chad to his chest and smiled brightly.

“I think we’re gonna need another shower.”

Definitely. Jason still had things to do, but he couldn’t walk around as a dirty boy covered in jizz. His cock was starting to get soft again, so it would be a race against time to reach the bathroom before it fully went to sleep. He slid off the bed, supporting Chad with an arm around his back and a hand on his ass. Legs wrapped around his waist, making Jason groan from the deep depth of his cock. It twitched, drowning in cum but apparently wanting to pump more into his mate after being denied for that long. Waiting for his cock’s decision, he held his breath and stared into Chad’s wide eyes.

“Are we good?”

After several seconds, Jason nodded and exhaled. It was safe to proceed to the bathroom. He jerked his head, gesturing to the fake cock and tail. They needed to be washed. Chad unwound an arm from Jason’s back and leaned to the side, crooking two fingers like a claw. He used them to pinch the base of the fur, avoiding contact between the plug and the bandage. His other fingers gingerly gripped the sticky balls of the cock, holding it upside down.

Jason trudged into the dark hallway, attempting to minimize the friction of his cock with the warm, wet walls surrounding it. Drops of jizz from the first load dripped onto the floor. Activating sense, he located the lumpy cock to avoid stepping on it, despite a strong desire to do so. It appeared to be undamaged, having not been flung hard enough to break anything unfortunately. He squatted and Chad grabbed the cock with his other hand.

“Do you think you’ll ever want to try it again?”

Jason shrugged and stood up, continuing to the bathroom. It had been weird but pleasurable. He would prefer using the toys on Chad and focusing on his pleasure instead. Next time, Chad could get tickled with the feathers and teased with the lumpy cock.

Chad flicked the light switch with an elbow and tossed the toys onto the counter. The bathroom was starting to look messy again. There were clothes lying around, toys to be washed, and melted candles to throw away, but the priority was cleaning off the jizz. To do that, the knot needed to be removed, very carefully to reduce the pain. Stepping into the tub, Jason dropped to his knees and sat on his heels, facing the front. His cock had fully softened, reducing the width of the knot. He moved his hands to Chad’s hips and slowly lifted him up, focusing his eyes on the pretty face instead of the action happening below. Chad squeezed his eyes shut, but remained silent as the knot was eased out of him. Jason set him down gently and gave him a few pats on the shoulder for being a strong boy.

Chad blinked rapidly and wiped his eyes with the back of a hand. “That wasn’t so bad. I’ll get the water started while you get the sheath off. Your balls must be killing you.”

They did feel like they were getting choked by the loop, but it couldn’t be as bad as the pain in Chad’s ass. Jason gave him another pat before rising to his feet. He squeezed his balls through the loop and slid the sheath off, tossing it to the other toys. Brown water began to fall into the drain as Chad turned the knobs, and he quickly stepped out to avoid getting his feet splashed. He handed Jason a towel so more jizz wouldn’t drip onto the floor. Jason used it to clean his abdomen, cock, and balls, then dropped it onto the tiles. Tomorrow would be another laundry day, and that reminded him of his shirt that was still soaking outside.

He jogged to the sink and started running the water in preparation of washing the toys. Whether the rage disappeared tonight or not, tomorrow would also involve getting the repair people here. The men needed someone to keep them contained. If the slut didn’t dress so slutty, she could come too. Then Jason could focus on other tasks that might remain, such as finding the girls at the crazy house. No survivors, no regrets. But what about Shelly? He’d helped Chad, and he’d survived like Ginny and Chris. The difference between him and the bad girls was that he hadn’t injured Jason. Andy and Rick had been responsible for the machete stab to the chest and the slice on his calf.

His thoughts were interrupted by a ringing sound from the bedroom. He’d heard that sound last night when he’d been waiting for Chad to come home. The phone was ringing.

“Fuck. I have to answer it.”

Chad limped past him, his legs invigorated by urgency. Following close behind, Jason kept his hands out in front of him, ready to catch Chad in case he fell. Chad knelt at the phone and picked it up with a trembling hand. His eyes darted over the buttons as it continued to ring. He pressed one of them and held the phone up to his ear. Jason stood directly behind him, watching and listening closely. The button was stored in his mind.

“Hello?”

“Chad? It’s Tommy. You told me to call you if...” The voice was scratchy, but still recognizable as belonging to the little boy Jason had seen.

Chad took a deep breath and exhaled shakily. “What’s wrong?”

“One of the guys came to the house. I think his name is Ted. He said he encountered the cops while the group was at a campfire in the woods. They’re looking for you. Someone gave them an anonymous tip about where you’re staying.”

“Uh... thanks. I’ll head there and see what’s going on.”

“You should come fast. Ted said something about a search party if you don’t show up within the next thirty minutes.”

“Right. Oh, and what time is it?”

“10:28.”

“All right. Thanks again.” Chad pressed another button and put the phone into its holder. He stood up and turned to Jason, all traces of pink gone from his face. He would’ve looked like a ghost if not for the bruises. “I have to drive my car there. Can’t tell the cops that I teleported.”

He didn’t wait for an acknowledgement, limping as fast as he could to the bathroom. Jason stared at the phone. This was similar to his dream. The bad boys and girls were trying to lure Chad into their house, weren’t they? Or maybe the man who’d delivered the items had decided to tell the cops about home in order to cause trouble. Either way, Chad couldn’t go alone.

Jason jogged to the bathroom and splashed water over himself at the sink, copying what Chad was doing inside the tub. His footsteps could be silenced, but the smell of sex couldn’t be erased that easily. He pumped a few blobs of soap into his hand and lathered the areas that needed the most attention. After rinsing it off, he grabbed a towel off the counter and quickly dried his abdomen and cock. Chad was already limping back into the hallway. The brown clothes he’d worn smelled like death. Jason’s pants had been spared from Mother’s rotting scent, so he put them on, fastened his belt, and slipped his feet into his boots.

He returned to the bedroom, discovering Chad in the process of getting dressed in a green set of clothing, naked from the waist down. His hands were shaking, unable to fasten the buttons. Jason touched them, and they dropped to Chad’s sides, understanding his desire to help. His own hands were perfectly calm as he fastened the buttons. He squatted and grabbed the pants, holding them open for Chad to slip his legs inside, then pulled them up and fastened them too. Rising to his feet, Jason flicked his eyes to the weapon rack for a second.

Chad put his shoes on and tucked his shirt in, smiling in an attempt to reassure. “I’ll be fine. The cops aren’t rapists or murderers. They just want to ask questions. I’ve dealt with them before and I can do it again.”

Jason nodded slowly, believing some of Chad’s words. Cops were supposed to be protectors, but they could still cause trouble and threaten the safety of home. And what if the cops weren’t really there? This could be a trap. He pointed at his bare chest, telling Chad that he was going to retrieve the shirt from the laundry.

“Okay. I’ll close the kitchen window before I leave.” Chad snatched his wallet and the three sets of keys off the dresser. “And I’ll be back in an hour or two. Just wait at—”

Jason morphed to the backyard and shifted to the tub, nearly knocking it over in his haste to emerge. He pulled the shirt out of the water and twisted it tightly until it wasn’t soaking wet. Chad wanted him to wait at home, but that wasn’t a smart option. What if the cops tried to take him away? What if he couldn’t reach a phone to call for help? What if the bad boys and girls tried to attack him? Jason slid his shirt on and fastened the buttons as he jogged to the back door, which had been locked earlier. A house key was inside his pocket, but it wasn’t necessary. The door opened just as he reached for the key. Chad stepped aside and fiddled with his hands, watching Jason jog to the staircase.

“Please. Just wait at home. I’ll come back and then we can cuddle in bed.”

Jason grunted to say that he’d heard the request, bounding up the stairs two at a time. The back door closed, the lock clicked, and soft footsteps slowly traveled down the main hallway. He reached the bedroom before the footsteps stopped at the front door. Chad’s burst of stamina had been depleted, his soreness catching up with him.

The front door opened and slammed shut, and seconds later, Chad was getting into the car. Jason waved at him through the window, and a hand waved back. The nervous smile was visible in the car’s illuminated interior. When his boy drove away, he took a piece of Jason’s heart with him.

The house was emptier, containing only a lonely boy with ghosts for company. Striding to the weapon rack, Jason grabbed his old mask from the top and put it on. Jason Voorhees was still alive, and everyone in town would know. He gripped the pig splitter and nicked the pad of his thumb with the sharp blade, watching the blood seep and the wound heal.

Always and forever. Love that wouldn’t disappear, no matter what happened. Surpassing even time itself. If Jason died tonight, it would be to protect the boy he loved. His spirit would live on, unable to find rest, watching over his tiny Chad and keeping him safe until it was time to meet again. Nothing could stand in the way of two boys who were meant to be together. Not even death.


	11. The Party

Passing nothing but miles of dark forest, Chad continued the drive to the Jarvis House. Twenty-nine people had died in the past week, most as a consequence of his decisions. How many more would die tonight? Including the Jarvis family, there were twelve potential victims. Gordon was the only one guaranteed to be safe from Jason’s wrath, preventing that number from reaching thirteen. Even in the worst case scenario of Jason getting attacked by the dog, his first instinct would be to incapacitate Gordon rather than kill him.

It was difficult to predict what would set Jason off and make him go into murder mode. Over the past day, he’d displayed considerable focus in getting things done around the house, with exception to his usual perverted distractions. But his behavior had taken a strange turn at the cemetery. Whatever he’d seen on the tombstone, it had likely been the work of ghosts. The odds of multiple lights fizzling on the same night were very slim, and the Rolex watches had been purchased at different times. The odds of their batteries dying at the exact same moment were even more slim. Something supernatural was obviously afoot, and it was making Jason question his sanity. Of course, no murderer was completely sane, and neither were the people who fell in love with murderers. Still, Jason hadn’t reached the batshit crazy end of the spectrum. He was capable of restraint and rational thought.

One thing was clear. Where Chad went, trouble followed. Had the group even encountered the cops in the woods? Or was this a ploy to add another person to the party? It had been postponed last night because of Dorf’s arrival. Chad hoped for the second scenario involving the party. Stupid teens were easier to deal with than cops, and he could be getting back home in a shorter amount of time. But in all likelihood, Jason would already be there. His eyes had flicked to the weapon rack with obvious intentions, and no words could’ve changed his mind once it was set on doing something.

After what seemed like an hour of driving, Pamela’s old burial site appeared on the right side of the road, and he slowed down. The moon and stars were hidden by clouds, making it difficult to see in the darkness. The tall weeds were flattened in spots, providing evidence that he’d been here with Jason, but the grave looked undisturbed. Leaves were still covering the freshly-dug mound. With only headlights to illuminate the area, it was impossible to be sure if someone else had visited.

Chad shrugged and drove onward, traveling well above the speed limit as usual. Even if the cops discovered the missing body, they wouldn’t be pointing fingers at him. He had no use for a rotting corpse, and although they were a bunch of bumbling fools, surely they would realize that.

It was a quiet night, the only sounds being the rumble of the engine and crickets. Mosquitoes were out in full force at this time of the year, and so were the bats. Despite the sweat beading on his forehead, he didn’t dare to open the window, not wanting any visitors swooping in. If hell broke loose at the Jarvis House, what would he even do with the car? Giving up the keys and letting the group drive away in his expensive convertible was an absurd idea. It would turn into a battered chunk of metal. Driving them out of there would be worse and make it seem like he was taking their side instead of Jason’s. Besides, they had their own vehicles to use. Survival of the fittest. If they couldn’t escape, it would be their problem.

Sighing loudly, he crossed the southern bridge, heading for his cabin near Fire Branch Camp. Leaving the others to their fates was easier said than done. They were just a bunch of teens looking to have a good time, and they weren’t harming anyone through their activities. The Jarvis family didn’t deserve death either. They’d welcomed him into their home, fed him, and provided an interesting diversion while he’d been waiting for Jason to find him. Was he going to repay their kindness by letting them get brutally murdered like he’d done with Chris’ group? That had been the worst night of his life, following Jason around like a dog and being an accomplice to their deaths. However, the group hadn’t taken Jason seriously, which had allowed him to pick them off via ambushes. They could’ve had a better chance at surviving if they’d stuck together, and that knowledge calmed Chad’s conscience somewhat. It hadn't been completely his fault.

He parked on the side of the road in front of the cabin he’d rented. Only a few sporadic lampposts illuminated this road, casting dim light over small sections. None of the windows were open or broken, so it didn’t appear that anyone had snooped around, though he couldn’t be sure without taking a closer look. He exited the car and locked the door, intending to leave it here while he investigated the rest of the area on foot.

As he started limping towards a living room window, he quickly discovered that it would be a bad idea to walk everywhere, considering what he’d had inside his ass about ten minutes ago. But if he drove it to the main houses, what if the group saw his car and insisted on using it to escape? Maybe he should’ve parked it somewhere out of sight in case they came here in search of items that would help them. Oh well. Off-road driving wasn’t one of his strong points, and he would rather not play bumper cars with the trees.

His bags were in the same positions, clustered beside the front door and looking like a black blob in the darkness. A weak tug on the window revealed that it didn’t have a lock, and he rolled his eyes as he closed it. These cabins wouldn’t even be a bargain if they were free. Anyone, assuming they weren’t seven feet tall and three hundred pounds, could enter via a window. But if Rob had snooped through the bags, he wouldn’t have found anything of interest related to Jason, so there was no point worrying about the possibility of an intruder.

Chad turned to the road, wincing at the pain piercing his body. His ass felt like it had been cleaved in two, and his jelly legs required his full effort to avoid collapse, wobbling beneath him. Jason couldn’t be blamed for this. He hadn’t chosen the sheath to play with, nor had he insisted on penetrative sex. That stupid costume, on the other hand, had been all his fault. Trying new stuff was one thing, but a line had to be drawn somewhere. Tomorrow, the girl clothes were going to be thrown into a garbage bag and dropped off in town, making whoever found them very happy. If Tiffany was still alive, she would be in heaven.

It didn’t make sense that the cops weren’t waiting for him here. They would’ve gone to the Jarvis House and asked which cabin he’d rented. Ted had obviously created that story about the group encountering the cops in the woods. And the search party bit? The real party was likely starting soon. This wasn’t only a prank, it was a death sentence they’d signed without realization. They were in for a nasty surprise. Jason wasn’t going to wait at home. Why not indulge them and go to this stupid party? The red might disappear and free Jason from his suffering. It would only cost twelve lives. Ten if he spared Tracy and Tommy in addition to Gordon.

With a resigned sigh, Chad limped towards the path known as White’s Trail. He’d made a string of bad decisions over the past week, so another one wouldn’t matter. Everything would work out in the end, even if that meant adding more deaths to his conscience. Staying at home with Jason wouldn’t have resolved anything because his bloodlust wouldn’t have disappeared on its own. His mental health would’ve gotten worse until he finally snapped like Pamela had, and the thought caused goosebumps on Chad’s arms despite the heat. He trusted Jason, but crazy people weren’t always in control of their actions.

He wrapped an arm around the trunk of a narrow tree, giving his legs a minute to recover. Only the back and side of the Jarvis House were visible from this angle, though it appeared that most of the lights were on. It was a Friday night, so Tracy had likely allowed her kids to stay up late. Tommy hadn’t been whispering on the phone.

Chad unwound his arm and continued up the road, each step creating a burning throb in his ass. Him and his bright ideas. It couldn’t have been a simple handjob. Oh right, his injured hand would’ve forced him to use his left in order to give any real stimulation, and that hand was weaker. What about a blowjob? Not unless he’d wanted a broken jaw and a throat that was even more raw than it already was. He would’ve been a sore mess no matter what. Wait, he could've used the prostate massager for the whole duration and played a less active role. Too late to remember that now, but it had been fun to assume control and share the pleasure. Jason had deserved to be comforted, and he still did after all of this was over. Ideally without leaving a trail of bodies behind.

The Jarvis’ car was in its usual spot beside the house, and Paul’s car was still in front of the vacation house, facing away from the road. The hood was up. Since his car looked to be pretty ancient, it wasn’t unfathomable for it to be experiencing problems, but this still seemed like something out of a horror movie. How typical that issues would arise on a night when these people were going to get killed. Unless there was a boat somewhere, their only means of escape would be the cops and the Jarvis’ Dodge Polara, which had also been experiencing problems. Good luck with escaping on the twins’ bikes. Probably wouldn’t stop Tina and Terri from trying though, assuming they also shared Tiffany’s intellect.

Chad froze upon noticing Dorf’s motorcycle beside the vacation house. So there had been some truth to Ted’s story after all. Maybe the cops did know about the location of the Voorhees House thanks to an anonymous tip. His heart leapt into his throat as he limped towards the front door, urging his legs forward at a faster pace. The living room was illuminated, no sounds emerging from within, and Dorf’s standing form was visible through the shuttered windows. Going in there would mean subjecting himself to another interrogation, but there was no other viable choice. The next surprise would be a knock on the door at home.

He raised his hand to knock, but the door opened before he could. The stern face of Dorf greeted him, softening slightly at the bruises. Behind him, Paul and Samantha were sitting on the stairs. Her head was resting on his shoulder, and she was gripping a glass of coke. She rolled her eyes at Dorf’s back. He seemed to have interrupted an intimate moment between them. Jimmy was rifling through a cabinet in the right half of the living room. Doug and Sara were also there, sitting quietly on a couch together. She peeked around his body and smiled shyly.

Dorf released the doorknob. His trusty pen and pad of paper were in his other hand, hanging at his side. _Big cabin at Fire Branch Camp_ was written on it. He took a step back, allowing Chad to enter the house. “Well look who decided to join the party. I was just askin’ where you were. Not at your cabin, that's for sure.”

Chad forced himself to meet Dorf’s eyes. The temptation to do a 180-degree turn out the door was getting stronger by the second. “I was visiting a friend. Got home a few minutes ago.”

“Uh-huh. Which friend?”

The question stumped him more than it should, his mouth opening slightly to form a response that wouldn’t come. His “friends” had been killed a week ago, and his remaining friend was responsible for their deaths. Did Shelly count? What was his address?

Chad shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. I don’t need to tell you about everywhere I’ve been. It’s not like you’re my dad.”

“And thank the Lord for that,” Dorf muttered. He pointed a finger at Chad. “Now listen here, boy. When I ask you somethin’, I expect a proper answer. Which friend?”

“I was at Shelly’s house.”

Dorf lowered his hand and nodded slowly. “I’ll be callin’ him to confirm that. If he says somethin’ different, you’ll be hearin’ from me. Understand?”

“Yeah, whatever.” Chad shoved his hands into his pockets, an action that didn’t go unnoticed by the steely gaze. “Why are you here, anyway?”

“Just checkin’ up on you kids to make sure you’re not gettin’ into any trouble.”

Dorf put his pen and paper into the inner pocket of his jacket. He sniffed the air, but the scents of beer and weed weren’t present. Grunting in satisfaction, he flapped his hand to the side, gesturing for Chad to move. The silent request was obeyed immediately as Chad stepped aside, his mouth nearly twitching into a grin at his luck. Ted had simply been playing a prank and Dorf had just been paying a surprise visit.

Gripping his belt, Dorf swaggered past him and stepped onto the porch. He sent a warning glare over his shoulder. “I’ll be back when you’re least expectin’ it, so don’t be goin’ anywhere.”

Chad sighed for what felt like the hundredth time tonight. What else was there to investigate with regard to himself? The barn incident had already been brought to light, and the cops certainly couldn’t expect him to have wheeled Jason’s body out of the morgue. He muttered a dismissive “yeah” and closed the door, staring at it while he listened for the revving of the motorcycle. After a few seconds, it started up, and the sound grew more distant. Now what? Knowing Dorf’s suspicion, he could patrol the roads. Getting back home would be a trial not only for these people.

“Looks like you’re stuck with us,” Samantha said, finishing the last of her coke. She set the glass beside her. “Ted had this great idea of dragging you to the party and...” She smiled apologetically and raised her hands.

“That’s what I figured. I guess I’ll hang around for a while.”

Samantha and Paul wrapped their arms around each other, her curly hair masking the action as they made out. Kisses with Jason were so uncommon that Chad couldn’t prevent a spark of jealousy from flaring inside him. Jason still wasn’t quite used to them yet, even a week after the first, usually opting for the chaste kind. Each one had to be treasured.

“Well. I’ll leave you guys to it then.”

Chad took a few steps forward and halted beside a tall shelving unit, nearly bumping into Jimmy, who was carrying a vinyl record. Jimmy mumbled an apology and continued walking to the other side of the living room where the group was situated. Ted got off the couch and moved to the table behind it, kneeling to retrieve the cans of beer and baggies of weed that had been stashed below the long tablecloth. He set them on the table and rose to his feet, spreading his arms extravagantly as he looked at Chad.

“Help yourself, man!”

“I don’t drink or smoke, but thanks.”

Grabbing a beer, Ted shrugged and stepped around the table to the front of the couch. He sat to the side, giving Tina enough room to sit beside him. She was wearing a turquoise and pink striped shirt with long sleeves, along with pink pants. Her fingertip was covered in dip from the bowl on the coffee table. As she sucked it, she shot Chad a smoldering look through her half-closed eyes, mouth quirking into a small smile. This girl was going to be trouble. Terri was sitting on an armchair in the corner, dressed similarly but with white pants. Chad closed his mouth, suddenly realizing it had been open. The twins were fully-clothed from the neck down, once again surprising him with their lack of sluttiness compared to Tiffany.

Loud music began to play, titled "Love is a Lie" by Lion. Smiling nervously, Jimmy walked to Terri’s chair, his hands pressed together. The poor guy hadn’t given up since the rejection on the way to Crystal Point. With luck, he might get some action tonight.

“Would you care to dance?” Jimmy asked Terri, glancing back at the record player. The question was soft, but his balls had clearly grown over the past two days. Chad crossed his fingers inside his pockets, hoping for the best. It wouldn’t be fair for him to get all of the attention.

Terri gestured with her hand, holding a tortilla chip. “To this?” The music was an odd choice for a guy who was trying to get into her pants. Something romantic would’ve been a more appropriate choice, unless he was trying to get ahead by playing the cute goofball card.

Jimmy leaned forward and balled a hand into a fist, pumping it determinedly. His voice was more enthusiastic. “It’s... it’s good!”

Terri shrugged and stood up, popping the chip into her mouth. She glanced sideways at Chad, a hint of disappointment crossing her features. She’d been hoping for the best too, but she had to settle for the bottom of the barrel. Well, not quite the bottom. Paul’s pasty chicken legs, still clad in jean short shorts, ruined his entire look despite his decent face.

“Oh, well, good,” Jimmy said, pressing his hands together again. He raised them to his chin in a silent prayer. This was his chance at making a good impression on Terri.

Chad blinked slowly as Jimmy broke out into a dance of flailing arms and legs, his hair flipping around. It looked like he was having a seizure. Terri’s dance was much more contained, accented by sporadic spins and claps as she grinned at Jimmy. During his high school years, Chad had been the most skilled dancer, known for his infamous “Shake It” dance that highlighted his greatest asset. Not wanting to crush Jimmy's hopes of scoring tonight, he was content to stand there and watch the odd display. His own legs were killing him, but if he sat on Terri’s chair, he might not get up again.

Samantha giggled, her arms draped around Paul’s neck. An amused smile appeared on his face, melting into an almost disbelieving look as Jimmy’s strange antics continued. Ted grinned, but his attention quickly returned to Tina, who was still passing the occasional heated glance at Chad. It was pretty bad when the crippled and bruised guy was attracting the most attention from the girls. Who could blame them though? On a scale of one to ten, he was easily an eight in his current state. Standing straighter with his chin raised, he slid a hand out of his pocket and ran it through his hair. Sure, he was committed, but he appreciated the fact that the girls had an eye for beauty.

Paul finally had enough, standing up to walk over to the record player, his ridiculous shorts doing him no favors. He adjusted his blue baseball cap on the way there. Samantha joined him, rocking out with jerky movements as he flipped through the records. The music was turned off, prompting Terri and Jimmy to stop dancing.

“Hey, why did you turn that off?”

“Relax, Jimbo. You’re gonna love this.”

As Paul switched the records, Chad took the opportunity to squeeze by Jimmy and Terri now that the flailing limbs weren’t a danger. He plunked himself down on the chair and leaned back, groaning softly. The noise caused Tina to pause, her hands gripping the teddy bear on her lap, and her eyes flicked to his splayed legs. What was this troublesome girl imagining? He pressed them together and pretended to examine his nails, which were due for another trim. The gold band gleamed and Tina averted her gaze, focusing on Ted again.

Classical music started playing. Paul and Samantha began to slow dance, swaying gently as they gazed into each other’s eyes. It would be an interesting thing to try with Jason one day, assuming it wouldn’t involve getting feet stepped on by three hundred pounds.

“You wanna give Teddy Bear a kiss?” Ted asked, scooting closer to Tina until their shoulders were touching. She’d moved away from him after Chad had sat on Terri’s chair. Not surprising really. Who would pick the desperate slimeball over the dignified prince?

Paul and Samantha exchanged a few kisses, giving Ted the encouragement to go in for the kill. He wrapped a hand around the back of Tina’s neck and pulled her against him, laying slurpy kisses on her lips and cheek. She made little sounds of protest and disentangled his hands, leaving the teddy bear in his arms.

“Uh, Teddy, I have to get another drink.”

Smiling awkwardly, Tina stood up and grabbed her empty glass from the coffee table. Ted watched her incredulously and raised his palms, as if she’d turned down an amazing prize. She moved to the back of the couch and grabbed an open can of beer, pouring the rest into the glass. The teddy bear trick hadn’t worked in his favor, providing only a brief distraction. With his average appearance, no wonder he had to resort to such tactics in an effort to attract girls. He punched the bear in the face, then glared daggers at Chad.

“Don’t blame me. I didn’t ask to come here.”

Jimmy was having better luck, chatting quietly on the stairs with Terri. His weirdness was starting to grow on her. She looked enamored with him, hanging onto every word. But he was a dutiful friend, despite his dislike of the Jimbo nickname, and he wasn’t about to let Ted suffer from rejection by himself.

“Excuse me.”

Jimmy rose and walked to the couch. Terri twirled a piece of her messy bun as she watched him sit beside Ted. Her gaze shifted to Chad and she smiled shyly, patting the space next to her. Maybe her interest was limited to his injuries. She didn’t seem to be the type to flirt with everyone, unlike her sister. Chad opened his mouth to respond, interrupted by a plump ass sitting on his lap.

“So Chad... is it true about you having a boyfriend?” Tina asked softly. One hand was gripping the glass of beer, her other arm draping over the back of the chair.

After the initial shock wore off, Chad glanced at the window beside him, instinctively checking for an angry giant outside. His hands trembled on the arms of the chair as he slowly turned his head back to the front. Ted’s eyes, almost bulging out of their sockets, would’ve been comical if not for the oppressive feeling of dread that was closing in. If Jason discovered him like this...

“Uh... yeah. I have someone.”

Tina wiggled a bit, her movements causing a slight reaction down south that Chad definitely didn’t need. “Boyfriend and a spouse? You’re quite the playboy.”

She took a sip of beer. The scent of her breath triggered a flashback to Higgins Haven, and Chad abruptly gripped her waist, lifting her off his lap. She merely giggled, her hips swaying as she strolled to the couch where Ted and Jimmy were still sitting. This girl would be getting a reality check awfully soon if she didn’t back down. Placing her glass on the table, she sat beside Ted and hugged herself in a way that made her tits squish together. Chad checked the window again and listened closely for heavy footsteps over the sounds of the music.

“Are you expecting someone?” Tina's voice was low and husky, undeterred by his refusal.

Chad shook his head. “I was just wondering when the storm’s gonna hit.”

Tina’s eyes sparkled as she smiled flirtatiously, silently saying that a storm would make for a romantic night under the covers. Chad wasn’t the type to shoot a girl down by being an asshole, but it was better to make her hate him than to give her hope that something could arise from this. Clearly she wasn’t fazed by the knowledge that he was committed.

“Uh, maybe we can dance to this song?” Jimmy asked Terri, who hadn’t moved from her position on the stairs. His question was a welcome interruption, easing the tension that had risen in Chad’s body.

Terri nodded and stood up, walking to the area near the front door. Paul and Samantha continued to slow dance by the record player.

“C’mon,” Ted said, getting up to stand in front of Tina. “Since Chad’s acting like a dead fuck, let Teddy Bear show you how it’s done.”

Ted grasped Tina’s hands and pulled her off the couch, giving her little choice in the matter. Nevertheless, she smiled as she glanced at Chad, seeking to evoke jealousy that wouldn’t come. Jason never had any complaints about the fuck sessions. In fact, he always wanted more. The girls hadn’t complained either. Chad uncurled his fists and stared at his lap. Why was he getting so worked up? He had the only person he needed in life, and Ted’s three or four-inch dick wouldn’t be satisfying anything tonight.

The living room suddenly felt like it was a hundred degrees. All of the windows on this side weren't open and had shutters. More death traps if this group needed to escape, not to mention the tall gap between the windows and the ground on the other side. Anyone climbing through would likely cripple their legs, but that wasn’t his problem. He had no ties to these people, though he had to admit, watching them die wouldn’t be easy. It never was, both from the gore standpoint and the simple fact that more lives were being snuffed out. Some of them had truly deserved it, like Ali and Loco, but the others...

This time, he would refuse to tag along while Jason went on a murder spree. He could wait in his cabin, but what if Jason got injured? The axe strike had proven that not every injury could be healed on the spot. Some required longer recovery, and that would mean taking him to a safe location so the cops wouldn’t find him. How would that be done by waiting in a cabin with no clue where Jason was? And what kind of person would let his lover get injured in the first place?

Chad massaged his temples. What a great party. He was surrounded by couples, yet completely alone with his troublesome thoughts. To make matters worse, he’d told Jason that he would be back in an hour or two, but he also had Dorf to worry about. It couldn’t have been that long since he’d arrived here. Maybe twenty minutes. He still had a while until Jason would become alarmed by his absence. Oh yeah, but there weren’t any working clocks at home, and Jason was probably here already. Nothing was ever simple, and that quiet life in the woods was a long ways off, but Chad couldn't complain. He'd wanted adventure. For now, fresh air would be the first pursuit.

Gripping the arms of the chair, Chad eased his sore body to a standing position, his legs having transitioned from jelly to stiffness. Eighteen years old? More like seventy. He squeezed past the swaying couples, who paid him no attention except for Tina. Back in the day, he used to be quite the party animal. He hadn’t partaken in any drugs or alcohol of course, wanting to maintain his beauty and brains, but he’d still known how to have a good time. All of that was behind him now, and he couldn’t see himself going back to his old life. It was bad enough that he’d left Jason at home. A man who’d known nothing but loneliness for years.

Chad opened the front door and stepped outside, reminding himself that he'd only made this trip to hide the new life he was living. He wasn’t having fun at Jason’s expense. One way or another, this mess would be resolved, and he would get back home safely with Jason. When there was no hope, there was despair, and he wouldn’t let his mind devolve into that again.

Trish and Rob emerged from the Jarvis House, him with his bulky backpack and another bag in his hand. Chad pretended to be busy digging for something in his pockets. It was a struggle to eavesdrop with the sound of the crickets and music in the background. Had there been any developments in their relationship since Thursday? He still couldn’t believe that she would fall for an average Joe that quickly, but princes weren’t to everyone’s tastes he supposed.

“Stick to the trail,” Trish said. She swirled her hand in the air as they descended the porch stairs. “It goes all the way around the lake. You won’t get lost that way.” The only problem with her advice was that there were about a dozen trails in this area.

“I will. So it’s only the three of you up here?” Rob asked.

“Mmhmm. My parents had a sort of midlife crisis and went their separate ways. I kinda hope they get back together, you know, so we can be a family again.”

“Yeah, I hope so too.”

They stopped beside a scraggly tree between the two houses, so lost in their own world that they hadn’t noticed Chad standing on the porch, illuminated by the exterior lights. Trish sighed wistfully, playing with her hands as she looked up at the starless sky.

“Looks like more rain is coming, huh? Hopefully it won’t be as bad as the storm last Friday.”

“Yeah,” Rob replied, turning to Trish.

“Listen, if the weather gets too bad out there, or you want to take a shower or something, we’re always home. And um, Tommy usually leaves the door open.”

Rob let out a breathy chuckle, looking a bit embarrassed as he turned his head in random directions. Chad rolled his eyes. Just kiss already. Rob finally gave her a peck on the cheek and wished her a good night, grinning like a lovesick fool. He began to walk east towards the trail that led to Blackfoot Camp, but he paused upon sighting Chad. Coming outside suddenly didn’t seem to have been a good idea, especially when faced with a snoopy guy like Rob. Chad whirled around and yanked the door open, slamming it shut behind him before the questions could start.

Not much had changed with the party. Doug and Sara were still sitting together, Paul and Samantha were slow dancing, Ted and Jimmy weren’t in sight, and the twins were now feasting on a bowl of tortilla chips and dip from the coffee table. Food wasn’t on the menu for himself, butterflies returning to his stomach. These people were likely having their last party, but how could he talk them into leaving? He was a nobody among a group of friends. Everyone already knew about the killer on the loose, yet they’d chosen to come here instead of staying within the safety of their homes.

Chad shrugged and limped towards the kitchen, feeling multiple pairs of eyes on him. He was here, so he might as well grab a drink for his parched mouth. It was too soon to leave. If he went out again, Dorf could get on his ass, delaying his trip home even further. The only solution would be a drive to the convenience store, pretending to go shopping. Trying to ditch the cops would make him look more suspicious. The cost of not leaving now? Potentially getting everyone killed. No biggie. Wouldn’t be the first time.

“Hey Chad!” Ted called out, glancing over his shoulder. He rummaged through a drawer. Jimmy was standing beside him at the sink, arms crossed. “How you doin’ with yours? Right... not so good, huh?”

“I was doing better than you and I wasn’t even trying.”

Chad continued to the sink and grabbed a glass from the drainboard, ignoring Ted’s glare. Jimmy stepped aside to the fridge, his stony expression turning into a faint smile. The glass was rinsed out and filled with cold water. Chad leaned against the counter and took a long sip, eyeing a chair at the table. If he sat down again, he wouldn’t be getting up this time.

“Y’know, I was just about to give Jimbo some tips, but I think you need them more.” Ted pulled out a corkscrew and turned to Chad. Each word was emphasized with a shake of the tool. “You gotta watch me and do what I do.”

“Watch you fail?” Chad asked, resting his elbows on the counter. The empty glass hung loosely in his hand. “She was staring at me the whole time.”

Jimmy snorted, drawing another glare from Ted.

“Jimbo, you keep goin’ at that pace and you’ll be lucky to fuck her by the end of the month. You gotta warm her up, sure...” Ted put the corkscrew onto the counter, unzipped his jeans, and slid his hand under the waistband. It poked out of his fly, mimicking a penis. “But don’t go too slow, or you won’t even get to prove what a dead fuck you are.”

“I told you, I told you I didn’t like that.” Jimmy’s eyebrows furrowed as he looked at Ted’s hand, then back up to his grinning face. “Besides, you got the hot one of the two.”

Tina appeared in the doorway right on cue, holding a glass of beer. She stared at the hand poking out of Ted’s fly, her lips parting in disbelief.

Ted waved his penis hand, his grin losing some of its certainty. “Hiya.”

“He thinks it’s funny!” Jimmy said, and Ted shrugged in response. “He goes around acting like a kid and—”

“Are you sure you don’t want any beer?” Tina asked, looking at Chad. “Me and Terri are going to have a little contest.”

“I’m sure.” Chad put his glass on the counter and straightened up. “I’ll watch though.”

“Okay. Bring the corkscrew, Teddy Bear.” Tina’s tone was overly sweet, telling Ted that he’d ruined his chances through his childish behavior. She was a flirt, but not a total slut. Chad had to give her credit for that.

Grumbling under his breath, Ted followed them out of the kitchen to the other side of the living room. Doug, Sara, Paul, and Samantha were clustered in front of Terri, two beers on the accent table nearby. Ted tossed the corkscrew onto the table and dragged his feet to the staircase, lacking his usual swagger. Jimmy sat on a reclining chair beside the group, his normally stony face carrying a touch of smugness at Ted’s rejection. This reminded Chad of himself from a week ago, always trying to get into girls’ pants and having high self-confidence until he’d gotten shot down. It was better this way. Girls weren’t pieces of meat to be conquered.

Tina moved beside her sister, facing the rest of the group. The window beside the twins was shuttered, but the one behind them was open, letting in a light breeze of warm air. For a second, a shadow appeared on the dock across from the window, but Chad blinked and it was gone. A yellow rubber raft was resting on the fallen leaves, illuminated by a lamppost. They definitely wouldn’t be escaping on that.

Holding a can of beer upside down, Paul stabbed the corkscrew into the top. The can hissed, beer foaming out of the hole, and everyone cheered except for Chad. He couldn’t understand the appeal of shotgunning, given its messiness. The counselors had done it on several occasions, encouraging him to try it each time, but he’d refused to have more than a single sip of beer during his adolescence.

Paul passed the can to Terri and repeated the process with the other twin. “You ready, Tina?”

Tina nodded and raised the can high above her head. Terri did the same.

“Okay, on three!” Paul began to count, echoed by everyone else after each number. Upon reaching three, the twins flipped the tabs, unleashing a stream of beer into their mouths and over their chests. “And the winner is Tina!”

Samantha’s smile faded, replaced by a look of tired annoyance as she crossed her arms. Tina hugged Paul, practically throwing herself at him, and the hug was reciprocated. Maybe she really was a slut. Now she was going after Paul, guy number three.

“What do I win?” Tina asked, releasing him.

“What do you want?”

Tina’s gaze flicked to Chad. Her coy smile could only mean trouble. There was no way he was dancing with that beer-covered girl. Paul nodded slowly, answering the smile with a grin.

“Jimbo, put on another record.” Paul’s demand was met with solemn glances between the group members. Everyone knew how much Jimmy hated that nickname.

“Jimbo...” he muttered in a whiny voice, but he stood up to fulfill the order. He was a weird one. Quiet most of the time, though he was capable of defending himself when the need arose, and he’d demonstrated his ability to take initiative on a few occasions. He needed to be more firm, otherwise he would continue to be used like a doormat.

Tina sidestepped to Chad, jostling Samantha out of the way. The heavy scent of beer caused him to squint and take a step back. “You’re not going to refuse the winner, are you?”

“Actually, I am. I told you that I had someone.” And she fucking stank, but Chad left that part out, mentally reminding himself that he didn’t want to piss these people off too much. If a few of them escaped, they could make his life hell by feeding lies or truths to the cops.

Tina only shrugged and positioned herself in front of Paul again, resting a hand on his shoulder. “And what about you? I’m sure Samantha won’t mind.”

“_Actually_, I was thinking about taking a swim,” Samantha said coldly, returning to her place beside Paul, her arms still crossed. This was a catfight in the making, and Chad would be putting his bet on Samantha. “It seems to be getting a _bit_ close in here.” Her chilly voice matched her face, eyebrows arched and brown eyes shooting a silent warning at Paul. She strode to the front door.

“Sam...” Sara turned to follow, but Doug grabbed her upper arm. The door was yanked open and pulled shut, creating a loud bang.

“Sara, let’s dance,” Doug said softly.

“You want to dance?” Sara asked incredulously. “But she...”

“Let’s not get involved in their business.” Doug released her arm and they watched Paul get pulled to the record player by Tina. He turned to Sara again and spoke quietly. “Look, I’ll talk to him.”

After hesitating briefly, Sara sighed and nodded. She walked to the couch and sat down, soon joined by Doug, and Terri returned to the green chair that Chad had been sitting on. What was a party without teenage drama? But this was getting to be tiresome, and Chad was tempted to excuse himself and be done with it. With one last glance out the window, he limped to the area in front of the stairs. He had better things to do than watch a love triangle unfold, though he’d witnessed a few interesting catfights over the years, complete with hair pulling and clothes shredding. Naturally they’d revolved around girls fighting for his attention.

No one was fighting over poor Ted. He was still sitting on the stairs dejectedly, his back against the bottom of the banister and a hand resting against his chin. His eyes were full of longing as he watched the romance in the corner of the living room. Tina had Paul’s baseball cap on her head, positioned sideways. She was putting on a real show, clinging to him tightly while she shot the occasional look at Ted with her sultry eyes. The sight did nothing for Chad except make him want to gag. He’d never played mind games with girls or went after more than one at the same time. They’d gotten jealous on their own, without any effort on his part. This girl didn’t understand the concept of subtlety, plus she threw herself on anything with a penis. Chad had standards.

Jimmy walked over from the record player and circled around Ted, stopping behind his shoulder. He gripped the post, his lips pressed in a tight line. This was going to be good. “I want to talk to you for a second.”

“Oh man...” Ted said softly. He lifted the hand from his chin and pointed at the corner in a subtle manner. His voice rose slightly as he enunciated each word. “I am going to kill him.”

“I said that I wanted to talk to you for a second,” Jimmy repeated.

“Not now, dead fuck.” Ted gestured with his hand for emphasis, then returned it to his chin, eyes darting back to the display in the corner.

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Can you believe this guy?” Ted pointed at Paul again. He was slowly swaying in a circle with Tina, his baseball cap back on his head. “I mean I had her. She was mine!”

“Actually, I think she was his.” Jimmy glanced sideways, the tiniest of smirks appearing. “You know what these dead fucks suggest you do? Run your failure through your little computer.”

Ted looked over his shoulder, mouth hanging open in disbelief, and Chad couldn’t stop himself from snickering. Jimmy probably had the biggest balls here. He just needed to show them more.

A piercing scream interrupted the fun as everyone turned their heads to the source of the noise. It sounded like it was coming from the east. Dier Bay? Samantha had said she was going swimming.

Sara sighed. “It’s just another prank. Remember when she pulled me into the water, Chad?”

“Yeah, but...” It could also be his killer husband deciding to take advantage of an ambush opportunity. Chad took a deep breath and exhaled. He’d known this was coming. If Jason could satisfy his bloodlust by murdering everyone else, that was fine. Right? Every killer had to let loose once in a while.

Sara’s comment seemed to have calmed everyone but him. Jimmy and Ted walked to the main party area and sat on the couch together, their little spat forgotten. Although they often bickered, it never threatened their friendship. Ted lit a match and stared at the flame, a baggie of joints on the coffee table in front of him. Weed could help ease the pain of a lost opportunity.

“I better talk with Paul,” Doug muttered. “It’s his girlfriend out there.” He started to get up, but Sara shook her head.

“She just wants attention. If we don’t give her any, she’ll... she’ll be back in no time.” Sara’s hesitation betrayed her concern for her friend. She was a good girl who didn’t hold grudges.

Paul and Tina had resumed their slow dancing. They’d exchanged his hat again and it was back on her head. He didn’t look as sure of himself, no longer nuzzling her hair, and his eyebrows were furrowed. Noticing his more distant behavior, Tina pulled away from him and grasped his hands.

“What’s wrong?”

“Look, I can’t go through with this.” Paul slipped his hands out of her grasp. “I have a girlfriend, and... I’m sorry. I gotta go.”

He walked to the front door at a brisk pace, giving Chad a nod on the way there. Tina was up for grabs, but Chad wanted no part of that skank. He shook his head, earning a slight smile from Paul that was tinged with worry. The door opened and closed, and Paul’s soft footsteps disappeared into the night.

Terri made a walking motion with her fingers to Tina, asking if she was going to follow Paul. This had been rejection number two for the night. First Chad and now Paul, but skanks didn’t give up. Sauntering to the couch, Tina removed the baseball cap and placed it onto Jimmy’s head. His forearms were resting on the side of the couch, and he looked to be making some sort of creature with toothpicks and yellow corn puffs.

“Do you want to dance?” Tina asked, pressing her hands on the back of the couch and leaning towards him.

Jimmy didn’t answer right away, his eyebrows raising in surprise. “Yeah.” He put the creature on a small table beside him. “Yeah!”

As he stood up, he shared a look with Ted, who didn't show any emotion. Tonight had already been full of surprises for ol' Teddy Bear, so what was another? He went back to staring at the flame, stealing the occasional glance at Jimmy and Tina.

“Uh, I thought you wanted to be with Ted? And Chad? And Paul?” Jimmy asked quietly as they started to dance, looking into each other’s eyes.

“I did... but now I wanna be with you.”

Jimmy chuckled breathlessly. “This makes me feel really bad.” And it should. Tina had gone for the leftovers. After a long pause, Jimmy continued. “Well, do you want to join them instead? Chad and Ted are by themselves...”

Tina exhaled and caressed his shoulder. “Jimmy... why don’t we just go upstairs?” She kissed him and he laughed nervously.

“Upstairs?”

She took his hand and led him to the staircase, shooting another smoldering look at Chad before they began to ascend it together. The look was a silent invitation, reminding him of when Tiffany had extended an offer to join her and Lachappa in the tent. It was a memory that caused Chad to bring a hand to his mouth and gag. Tina and Jimmy were already upstairs, too far away to have heard him, but Ted had caught it. His incredulous, slack-jawed expression said everything. Chad was stupid to have turned down such an invitation. Perhaps Ted was a bit more open-minded than he let on.

The pickings were becoming more slim. Assuming she hadn’t been murdered yet, Samantha had likely reconciled with Paul during a romantic swim. Sara seemed to have her eyes set on Doug, though they were taking things slow. They hadn’t even kissed yet. Tina had finally settled on Jimmy after flip-flopping between almost every other guy in the house. That left only Terri. Ted met her gaze, and she reluctantly stood up from the chair and sat beside him on the couch. She grabbed the teddy bear and clutched it to her body.

Taking a drag on his joint, Ted coughed and blew out smoke. He tapped the backs of his fingers on the teddy bear’s head. “That’s a teddy bear,” he supplied helpfully, wrapping an arm around Terri’s shoulders as he leaned closer. “Wanna give Teddy Bear a kiss?”

Terri turned her head away and smiled, letting out a soft sigh. Defeated once again, Ted raised his arm and let it flop onto the back of the couch, his hopeful grin disappearing. He flung the joint into the ashtray. Chad almost felt bad for him. The guy wasn’t bad looking, but he’d needed to get his ego taken down a few pegs.

A crash came from upstairs, making everyone flinch. It was followed by muffled chuckles and giggles. Ted scowled and got off the couch, stomping to the cabinet below the record player. It was full of film reels. He yanked them out in a pile and began to sift through them. Maybe he would get lucky and find some vintage porn to keep him company tonight.

Chad limped to the staircase and sat on the bottom step, extending his legs. It felt like he’d been standing for hours. Dorf’s words echoed in his mind. That annoying man would return when it was least expected. Maybe it had been an empty threat, intended to scare him into submission. Regardless, he couldn’t stay here all night. What if Jason was at home? What if there was a way for him to get better without bloodshed? Dorf and the rest of the cops be damned. Getting back home would only require more carefulness than usual. Dangerous, but doable.

With his mind made up, Chad rose to his feet and headed to the front door. Whatever happened would happen. He could get the cops on his ass and be forced to lead them on a merry drive through Crystal Lake. He could get home and discover that Jason had just left to go on a murder spree, forcing him on another cat and mouse game with the cops. He could trip over the corpses of Samantha and Paul before even reaching his convertible. Any of those outcomes were preferable over twiddling his thumbs and waiting for answers that weren’t coming.

His hand froze on the doorknob as another scream was heard. This was either Paul deciding to join Samantha in pranking everyone, or Jason had claimed his second victim. No one else seemed concerned by the sound except for Sara, biting her lip as she looked in the direction of the dock.

“Do you think we should check on them?”

“I’ll go check,” Chad said over his shoulder. “Needed some fresh air anyway.”

A cool wind greeted him as he opened the door, and the smell of rain was heavy in the air. The half moon shone in the distance, now unhidden by the dark clouds. He stepped onto the porch and closed the door behind him. The Jarvis’ car was missing. At dinner yesterday, Tommy had grumbled about not having any lollipops left, though Chad had barely heard him over the sound of Dorf’s motorcycle. Perhaps Trish had taken him to the convenience store. That would be an odd decision, considering it was likely close to midnight by now, but whatever.

Forcing his legs to move, he descended the porch stairs and followed the trail south, which curved back to the north where the dock was located. He could’ve cut through by crossing the stream, but walking around with squelchy shoes wasn’t in his best interest. Besides, if Paul and Samantha were already dead, there was no rush to see their mutilated corpses. He crossed the bridge, growing stronger with each step he took. His body was getting used to accommodating Jason’s huge cock. Or was it just the adrenaline starting to fire up? He grabbed a map from the stand and shoved it into his pocket. This was a big area and easy to get lost in, but for now, he only had to remember that the dock was across from the side window of the house.

The end of the trail opened to a camp with a blanket stretched out on the ground, an unfolded chair with a cooler beside it, and a yellow tent. The fire was unlit. Blackfoot Camp was to the south, so this couldn’t belong to Rob unless he’d decided to move closer to the Jarvis House. Beyond this camp was the dock, and no bodies or blood were in sight.

“Wait...”

Chad stepped to the shoreline and squinted across the water. Someone was in the yellow raft. Only the top half of their head, an upside-down foot, and a draped hand were visible. He wasn’t about to jump in and get a closer look.

“Samantha?”

She didn’t answer, remaining perfectly still like a corpse, and his heart began to pound. Joking about dead bodies was a lot different than seeing them in person. A twig snapped directly behind him, and he whipped his head around, the tension leaving him when Paul's sheepish face was revealed. His shirt and shoes had been shed, leaving only his jean shorts. They were soaking wet, and Chad couldn’t help but notice how tiny his bulge was. None of these guys were well-endowed.

“Sorry,” Paul said, rubbing a hand over his damp hair. “She wanted to get back at Tina. Scare her into leaving."

“Yeah, well...” Chad turned his head back to the raft, unable to keep the annoyance out of his voice. “You shouldn’t cry wolf when there’s a killer around. It’s dangerous.”

More twigs snapped, and his body stiffened again as Rob called out from behind. “Everything okay over there?”

“We’re good!” Paul yelled. He stepped beside Chad. “Come on, Sam. Looks like a storm’s coming.”

Sighing exaggeratedly, she gripped the front edge of the raft and pushed herself up to a kneeling position. Chad turned around at the sight of her bare tits, white compared to the rest of her tanned body. Water splashed as she paddled to her discarded clothing near the base of the dock. Ahead of him, Rob was striding with a machete in hand, his face grim. Moonlight glinted off the blade. He halted a few feet from Chad and raised the machete, jerking it for emphasis.

“Someone bent my shotgun’s barrel in half and destroyed the stock. Tell me, how does a normal man do that?”

Chad crossed his arms and glared at Rob, the kind that was reserved for utter assholes. The machete lowered in a heartbeat. “Watch where you wave that fucking thing. And don’t get started on Jason Voorhees. You’re obsessed with him.”

“But—”

Leaves rustled. Rob turned to the camp, his shoulders raising with tension and his stance widening. The wind had picked up, ruffling his hair. In the far distance, a fork of lightning appeared above the treeline, followed several seconds later by a thunder boom. Light rain began to fall.

“You guys better get inside soon!”

Paul was already jogging up the hill to the house with Samantha, his shirt draped over an arm. She was nude except for her shoes and panties. Her jeans and top were clutched to her chest, hiding her bouncing tits. The two of them disappeared around the front of the house and Chad turned to follow, but Rob’s hand gripped his left wrist in a firm grasp. The strength was enough to make him wince.

“Your injuries. You never really explained them. And how exactly did you escape?”

Chad jerked his arm, but the grip didn’t lessen, and his subsequent glare failed to evoke the desired reaction. It only made Rob more determined, his eyes shining with the intensity of a fanatic.

“I saw you with Jason while I was out hiking. He was in the van. Did he say anything? What did he do? Are you working with him?”

A shiver ran through Chad’s body as the cool rain dampened his clothing, making it stick to his skin. He glanced at the machete, gripped so tightly that Rob’s knuckles were white. “Rob, you need to... you need to settle down. I already told the cops what they needed to know.”

Rob shook his head. “I can’t let this rest. Not after what he did.”

“Your sister wasn’t the only one who died. Have you seen their families become this obsessive? Do you even realize that you’re hurting m—”

Before the last word was out of Chad’s mouth, a gleaming blade materialized above Rob’s forearm, slicing through the fabric and flesh like butter. His severed hand released its grip, blood spurting from the wound, and Chad leapt back to avoid getting sprayed. An agonized howl left Rob as he stumbled backward, releasing the machete, and he used that hand to clutch the stump to his chest. Half of his forearm was missing. Chad covered his mouth, bile rising in his throat.

There was no time to dwell. The massive figure stepped in front of him, and the bloody blade flashed again, this time aiming for Chad’s groin in an upward stroke. Its movement was much slower than the previous strike, giving him more than enough time to do another backward leap. His feet landed in the shallow water, and he held out his hands to steady himself. Realization hit him as he looked up at the hockey-masked face of his lover. The bright blue eyes twinkled from what could only be a smile. It disappeared in an instant, replaced by a fiery gaze at the redness around his wrist.

“Come on,” Rob growled, gritting his teeth. His face was ghostly pale and his plaid shirt was saturated with blood. “We have to warn the others. Go!”

Rob jerked his head in the direction of the house, waiting for Chad to go first. Easily ducking below the large hand that reached for his throat, Chad sprinted as fast as his legs could take him, pushing past the stiffness. Rob’s footsteps pounded behind, crunching on the leaves as he ascended the hill, pained gasps bursting out of him with every step.

The game had begun, and Chad could only hope that it wouldn’t backfire. When there was no hope, there was despair. A life without Jason wouldn’t be a life worth living.


	12. Death Sentence

The front door to the vacation house burst open, and as Chad bolted inside, he put on the most terrified expression he could muster. Rob had lagged behind, and it took several more seconds for him to reach the porch stairs. He staggered up them and landed flat on his face. The remains of his arm were cradled against his chest with his other hand, hiding the gory sight. His loud groans drew Sara, Doug, Samantha, Paul, and Terri out of the right half of the living room. They jogged past Chad onto the porch and clustered around Rob’s prone form, looking at each other for clues about what to do.

“What happened?” Sara asked, holding a hand to her mouth.

Chad returned to the doorway and gripped the frame, panting loudly. “A guy wearing a hockey mask attacked him. I think it’s a copycat killer.”

“J... Jason...” Rob whispered.

Sara lowered her hand and swallowed, her wide eyes resembling a deer in headlights. “Well, we can’t just leave him here. Help him up, Doug!”

Doug got down on a knee beside Rob and grabbed his right arm, draping it over his own neck. Rob’s hand was coated with blood from his attempts to staunch the bleeding on the way here, and the coppery stench brought another rush of sickness to Chad’s stomach. He took a step back into the entryway, his eyes watering. Doug used his hands to support Rob’s back and chest, trying to lift him up, but he only succeeded in moving him a few inches off the porch. As the biggest guy here, Rob had to be close to 180 pounds. His groans had ceased and his eyes were closed.

“Uh, Paul? You just gonna stand there?” Doug asked, grunting as he tried to lift Rob again. For once, Chad was glad about his injured hand. There weren’t any expectations for him to help this asshole.

“Oh. Sorry.”

Paul knelt on Rob’s other side and gripped his left upper arm, treating him like a chunk of meat. As he and Doug lifted Rob to his feet, with Paul nearly pulling the arm from the socket, a chorus of gasps and screams exploded around them. Their grips loosened at the sight of the bloody stump that flopped out, and Rob’s knees buckled, almost sending him to the porch again.

The guys recovered from their shock just in time, though Paul took great care to avoid the wound. He oriented it to the front, providing a gory view of the exposed bone, artery, and muscle. The bleeding had slowed, no longer squirting out with each beat of Rob’s heart, instead trickling steadily. A large patch of red had saturated the wood, becoming a trail of blood drops as they guided Rob to the doorway. His feet dragged, and his face was so white that he appeared to be dead.

Sara hunched over and retched, unleashing a stream of white chunks onto the porch, and Chad was forced to look away. He turned to the wall and pressed his forehead against it, clutching his stomach. The stench of blood drew closer as Rob was brought into the house, and more retches were heard outside, joined by the rapid clicking of the projector. No wonder Jason wasn’t making any more moves. The fear level was rising on its own.

Multiple sets of footsteps stopped in the right half of the living room, and a couch creaked as Rob’s body was laid on it. With his stomach finally calming down, Chad turned to the empty porch and closed the door, leaving it unlocked. A lock wouldn’t stop a raging giant.

In the left half of the living room, a projector screen had been rolled down over a window. The couch had been moved to the opposite half, providing more seats where the projector was located. Ted was sitting on the couch in front of Rob, cackling at the film, too stoned and drunk to pay any heed to the events happening behind him. A topless woman with two braids, a hat, and bloomers was dancing around and shaking her ass. The picture was in black and white. Watching wasn’t on the mind of anyone else except for Ted. Doug, Paul, Samantha, Sara, and Terri were standing in a line, staring at Rob.

“What do we do now?” Doug asked. “Look at him. Is he still alive?”

Chad walked to the living room and stopped at the end of the couch beside Doug, whose hands were covered in blood. Rob’s injured arm was draped over his slowly-heaving chest, the other hanging limply over the edge, and his head was propped up on the couch’s arm. The amount of red on his plaid shirt made it nearly impossible to see the original blue-green color. Only a small untainted patch was on his upper right sleeve.

“We can call the cops,” Paul said. “They’ll know what to do.”

Doug shook his head. “It’ll take them a while to get here. He needs help now. Still bleeding.”

“But the guy who did this to him is still out there...” Paul glanced at the front door, his eyes slightly wider than normal. “Did someone lock the door?”

“I... I’m going to get Tina. We should be getting home. I’m sorry, but...” Terri jogged out of the living room to the staircase, her footsteps silent on the wooden floor.

Chad lifted his shirt collar and pressed it over his nose. Rob could bleed to death for all he cared. However, if something like this were to happen to himself, hopefully someone would offer assistance instead of watching him bleed out. Not that Jason would ever hurt him, but maybe he could earn some good karma here. He’d skimmed over a few medical books at the mansion to appease his mom, so he had basic ideas on how to approach this.

“Remove his belt and wrap it around his bicep.”

Doug wiped his hands on his shirt, smearing red over the white. They trembled as he leaned over and unfastened Rob’s belt. Sara’s hands were also shaking, but to a far greater extent. She turned to the other couch and climbed over the back, sitting beside Ted. Her legs were hugged to her chest as she stared into space.

“Make sure you wrap the belt as tight as you can.”

Doug slid the belt under Rob’s bicep and tied the two ends together in a tight knot. Was the belt supposed to be wrapped further down, right above the wound? Whatever. Without proper medical attention, Rob wasn’t going to survive a serious injury like this. It would only buy him a bit of time, and that was enough for an asshole.

“Anything else?” Doug asked, straightening his back.

“If the bleeding doesn’t stop, you could heat a fire poker and burn the wound to close it.” The scent of sizzling flesh would be delightful, and Chad certainly wouldn’t be sticking around for that.

“Uh... I think the bleeding has stopped.” Doug looked sideways at him. “You seem to be the expert, so can you check the bathroom for anything else we can use?”

Suppressing the sigh before it escaped, Chad began to limp to the staircase. Instead of playing doctor, it would’ve been so much easier for Jason to kill Rob while he’d had the chance. Chad paused with a foot on the bottom step and a hand gripping the banister, eavesdropping on the others’ conversation. To their eyes, the cripple would only be pausing to give his sore legs a break.

“Sam, can you go to the Jarvis House and see if the phone’s working?”

“Okay.”

Samantha jogged to the front door, probably sounding like a herd of elephants to Jason’s ears. Her hair was still damp from her prank at Dier Bay. She pulled the door open and continued outside, not bothering to close it. The rain was falling quickly and heavily by now, and she hastened her pace to a sprint. She entered the house and left that door open too. A strange sense of calmness had settled over the group, despite the killer lurking around. That would change after they had their first look at him. This wasn’t the scrawny green-haired man from the news.

“What do you want me to do?” Paul asked, staring at Rob’s ghostly face.

“Lock the side door,” Doug replied. “And the basement.”

Paul tore his eyes away from Rob. “The basement? What if that guy is down there?”

“Come on man, you’ll figure something out. Grab a frying pan from the kitchen.”

Paul chuckled and gave Doug a playful punch on the shoulder. He was the lightest guy here because of his chicken legs, so his soft footsteps were easily discernible from the rest. He circled to the back of the house, heading through the kitchen to the side door. Chad finally began to ascend the stairs, shaking his head at how relaxed these people were. Ted was still cackling at the ridiculous porn, and even Sara’s shoulders had lost their tension. A guy with half an arm was dying in the living room and they could hardly care less. Perhaps the weed had already fried their brains from a young age, though Sara didn’t seem like the type to let loose on drugs and alcohol.

Terri’s soft voice became more audible as Chad neared the top of the stairs. “Tina, are you almost done in there?” Her cheeks turned pink as she hammered on the door. “We have to go!”

The door was ripped open and Tina stormed past her sister, bumping her shoulder as she turned into the hallway. Her face was bright red, her hair was down to her shoulders, and her shirt was unbuttoned. No bra. Chad stood in the doorway of the nearest bedroom, giving Tina an unobstructed path to her destination as she fastened the buttons. Not sparing him a single glance, she hurried down the stairs, followed by Terri, and snatched a clear raincoat off the rack beside the front doorway.

“Did something happen?” Terri asked, grabbing a matching coat for herself.

Tina slid her coat on and threw her hands up, then tied the belt around her waist. “Nothing happened. Ted was right.” She grabbed a rain bonnet and fastened it over her head, her hasty movements matched by her sister.

A quiet groan drew their attention to the couch, and Tina gasped, covering her mouth. “What happened to him?”

“He got attacked, but we haven’t seen the guy yet,” Paul replied. “I better check on Sam. She’s been gone for a few minutes.”

Remembering the task assigned to him, Chad crossed the hallway and entered the illuminated bathroom. A med spray stood on the counter. Should it be kept for himself or wasted on that asshole? The answer was obvious. In the event that Jason got injured, the med spray could be useful. Chad grabbed the can and shoved it into his pocket as deep as he could, but the nozzle was sticking out and the bulge was unmissable.

“Think...” he whispered.

He walked to the tall shelving unit in the corner and laid the can behind a stack of two towels on the middle shelf. When the opportunity arose, he could come back for it later. Ideally after Rob died from an infection or something.

Chad skimmed a finger across the cans on the shelf above, pretending to put great effort into finding medical supplies for dear Rob. There was only a large white can with a number twelve, empty canisters, and hair spray. Nothing suitable to dress a wound, but a damp towel could help for cleaning it. Grabbing the lone towel from beside the stack, he draped it over an arm and turned to the sink. How long had Jimmy been standing in the doorway?

“So, uh... how was Tina?”

Jimmy’s eyes flicked from the middle shelf to Chad's face. “Not so good.” Half of his mouth pulled up into a smile, and he crossed his arms. “I told her that I changed my mind and... and I didn’t want to be with a whore.”

Chad snickered. “She probably has every disease in the book. You did yourself a favor.” His grin melted into a wary look. “Listen, uh... Rob got attacked by a maniac outside. He’s missing part of his arm, so I have to bring this down to him.”

Jimmy stepped aside, his expression returning to its usual stoniness, eyebrows and mouth set in a slight frown. He’d almost certainly seen the med spray being hidden behind the stack of towels, but Chad didn’t dwell on it, striding past Jimmy to the staircase. Screw the wound cleaning. Rob was dead meat either way, so the dry towel would have to suffice.

Descending the stairs slowly, Chad maintained his cripple facade, gripping the banister with his left hand. To his surprise, the twins hadn’t tried to leave, though he didn’t let it show on his face. Except for Paul and Samantha, everyone was still in the living room. Tina and Terri were standing beside Doug, and Ted and Sara were on the couch. Rob’s eyes were open and a bit of color had returned to his face.

Chad extended an arm in front of the twins, handing the towel to Doug. “I could only find this.”

Doug stared at the towel for a few seconds. “Huh. I could’ve sworn I saw a med spray on the counter.” He looked at the twins, then Rob’s wound. “Did any of you guys use it?”

“No,” Sara said. Her denial was echoed by a series of murmurs from Terri and Tina, but Chad barely heard them. Rob’s steady gaze was digging holes into him, making him question his decision to hide the med spray. It was too soon to be caught in a lie.

The stairs creaked as Jimmy descended them. Aside from Ted, everyone fell silent. Jimmy turned to face the group and leaned a shoulder against the post, his arms still crossed. “I just used the med spray for my foot. I cut the bottom when we were swimming at Crystal Point.”

“Ah.” Doug stretched out the towel. “Well uh, what are we supposed to do with this?”

A dramatic eye roll was imminent, but Chad stopped it in time. Did he have to think of everything for this group of buffoons? He pointed at Rob’s stump. “Well uh, are you just gonna leave his arm exposed to infection?”

Doug chuckled nervously. “Sorry. First time doing this.” Right, because everyone else had experience treating dismemberment. He looked at Rob’s face. The brown eyes were closed again. “Hey buddy, you still with us? You mind raising your arm a bit?”

With a soft groan, Rob opened his eyes and lifted his arm a few inches. Doug laid the towel across his chest, and the arm flopped back down. He untied the belt knot, folded the bottom of the towel over the wounded area, and then folded each side over it. There was nothing like some loose towel fluff to help a wound heal. He re-tied the belt, causing another groan, louder than the first. The bulky dressing resembled the end of a cotton swab, and Chad almost snickered at what a bad idea it had been to use a towel. A spare shirt would’ve been a better option. There had to be plenty in the house. At least the towel was good for masking the awful scent of gory flesh, leaving only Ted’s skunk weed.

Sara glanced over her shoulder. “So um, now what do we do? Should we check on Sam and Paul?”

Doug nodded at her, then turned his attention back to Rob. “And we need someone to keep an eye on him while we check the cabins for a spare battery.” He looked above the twins’ heads at Chad. “Do you mind...”

The question was coming. Stay with Rob or let them use the convertible. Chad held his breath as he waited for Doug to continue.

“You could just drive us home and then we can come back for Paul’s car once the cops arrive.”

Chad exhaled sharply. “I won’t have enough gas to get home myself. Uh, to my friend’s house.” Rob’s intense gaze was back on him, persisting through the pain. Truthfully, Chad hadn’t paid attention to how much gas was left in the tank. He’d made several shopping trips, so it had to be nearing empty.

“We still have gas in Paul’s car. So...” Doug sighed and pressed the base of his palms against his temples. His hands flopped to his sides as he turned to the projector screen. “Any offers to go out and look for gas or a battery for one of the cars?”

The only response was a cackle from Ted as he pointed at the nude woman on the screen. This was a perfect moment for Jason to slam the pig splitter between the shutters and pierce the film, but alas.

“I don’t know about you people, but I’m heading home,” Tina said. With a look of contempt at Jimmy, who didn’t react at all, she strode past him to the front door and yanked it open.

“On your bikes?” Chad asked. “Good luck with that. The guy can practically disappear into thin air.”

Tina continued striding to the bikes parked beside the tree in the middle of the yard. Jason would’ve spotted them right away. They used to be parked in front of the porch, but they’d been moved for some reason. After a moment’s hesitation, Terri jogged outside, rain pelting her coat. Within seconds, they were jogging back into the living room, leaving trails of droplets behind them.

A hint of fear crept into Tina’s voice as she lifted a hand to her chest, curling her fingers. “Someone slashed the tires.”

“Look, we can’t just stand around and wait to die,” Chad said. “I’ll go check on Samantha and—”

The crunching of gravel in the distance made everyone turn their heads to the front doorway, their postures stiffening. Chad mimicked their movements, despite the general lack of fear he felt when Jason was around. The footsteps were too soft to belong to him.

“You guys stay here while I check it out.” Chad’s bravery was a bit out of character, but these people didn’t know that. Besides, Ted’s laughter and the clicking of the projector were starting to get on his nerves.

“I’m going upstairs,” Sara said. The couch creaked as she stood up.

Doug turned to her. “You tired? Not really a good time to be sleeping...”

“No, I...” Sara smiled nervously. “I just need to get away for a bit. My stomach is hurting.”

Staring at the floor, she walked to the staircase. The poor girl’s attraction to Doug probably wouldn’t go anywhere unless they made the mistake of having sex. Chad had watched enough horror movies to know that sex would only end in death.

Tina sighed and moved around the back of the couch to sit beside Ted. She was joined by her sister on Ted’s other side. Terri grabbed the teddy bear off his lap and placed it onto hers, but the guy was too stoned to fully process what was happening. His cackles at the screen didn’t cease. It would be a miracle if he could make it two steps without stumbling onto the floor. Good for Jason, bad for him.

“Well, see you guys later. Try not to get killed.”

Chad limped to the front doorway, remembering his facade. He felt Rob’s gaze on him the whole time. This was going to be a real treat to maintain. One misstep and Rob would be pointing a finger at him and unleashing a slew of questions. No matter what, he couldn’t let this guy get him alone again. If Chad had the heart for it, he would be tempted to push Rob down the basement stairs and do Jason’s work for him.

He stepped onto the porch and closed the door, relieving himself of the scrutinizing gaze. Tracy’s jogging form appeared from the left, where the trail around Dier Bay was located. Her face was set in a worried frown, and she was soaking wet. Had she been looking for Gordon? It was a weird time to be out jogging for leisure.

As Tracy neared the porch stairs of the Jarvis House, she waved at Chad and he waved back. His facade was temporarily abandoned as he jogged to meet her, clearing the space within ten seconds and beating her up the stairs. All of the lights in the house were off, and he couldn’t remember whether they’d been that way when Samantha had arrived. The door had definitely been left open. Now it wasn’t.

Panting softly, Tracy walked up the stairs and patted her wet face with the back of her hand. “Have you seen Gordon or the kids?”

Chad shook his head. “But uh... something happened to Rob. He was attacked and I didn’t really get a good look at the guy. Samantha and Paul were supposed to call the cops from your house.”

Tracy’s hand moved to her mouth, trembling slightly as it lowered to her side. “Is he all right? We have first aid kits.”

“We treated him, but it’s not looking good.”

Tracy smiled faintly. “I’ll take a look at him later. Trish will have a fit if she finds out.” She opened the front door and stepped inside. “Tommy? You didn’t lock the door again... I’m gonna towel off and then I’m gonna strangle you.” She must’ve believed that Tommy had stayed home while Trish had taken the car. It was well past Tommy’s bedtime.

The lights didn’t respond as she flicked the switch, but the flashes of lightning illuminated a sprinkling of red at her feet. Failing to notice the blood, she strode to the sink and grabbed a tea towel off the counter, using it to dry her face and neck. Her composure was surprisingly high, despite the knowledge of the attack. Then again, Chad hadn’t mentioned the part about Rob missing half of his forearm.

“Tommy? Trish?” she called out, filling a glass of water.

Chad walked to the counter and leaned his arms on it. Cookie crumbs decorated an empty plate and the space surrounding it, and he smiled at the thought of Jason stopping to have a snack. There weren’t any signs of a struggle in the kitchen. The phone was in its holder, though a few drawers were open. Tracy took a sip of water and turned to the doorway leading into the hallway.

“The car’s gone, so maybe Tommy went with Trish,” Chad said.

“Hm. It’s possible, but he should be in bed by now.”

Tracy’s stride quickened as she entered the hallway and tried that switch too without success. There was only one explanation. This house had its own generator, and Jason must’ve damaged it. Her footsteps grew distant, and more flicking was heard by the staircase. “Tommy?” She returned to the kitchen and put the empty glass in the sink, then faced the hallway again. “Gordon? Trish?”

“Relax, Tracy. I’m sure they’re fine."

Tracy walked to the phone and held it up to her ear. She immediately put it down again. Of course Jason would’ve knocked out the phone by destroying the fuse box here. It was likely the first thing he’d done upon seeing Samantha sprinting across the yard.

“Well, I better grab a kit from upstairs and see what trouble that boy has gotten himself into.”

Tracy disappeared around the corner, and her footsteps slowly creaked up the stairs. Her concern was for her children, not Rob, and she wanted to be here when they arrived. Chad drummed his fingertips on the countertop, his bandaged hand resting flat. What if Jason was hiding up there? In the past week, his kills had mainly been limited to young folks, but letting Tracy live would mean adding yet another witness to the murders. A killer wasn’t supposed to leave survivors. That would only complicate matters.

A loud thump came from the ceiling, followed by glass shattering, and Chad’s head jerked up. “Tracy?” His voice still hadn’t fully recuperated from his injury, and the effort to raise it made him wince. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine! Just knocked over the toothbrush holder.”

His shoulders lowered, and his fingertips ceased their drumming. He shouldn’t have been getting attached to this family, but his body’s instinctive response had been fear for Tracy’s safety. As long as he stayed here, she would be safe. He could talk Jason out of killing her. Tracy was a mother who cared for her children. The problem? Talking Jason out of killing her would reveal the game. Chad sighed and held his head in his hands.

More gravel crunched, joined by the puttering of an engine that sounded like it was on its last legs. He walked to the window above the sink and peered to the left, sighting the Jarvis’ car turning onto the road from White’s Trail. Trish was driving and Tommy was in the passenger seat. The engine stalled in the middle of the road before they could reach the side of the house.

After a bit of cranking with no success, Trish threw her hands up, pulled the key out of the ignition, and put it inside her purse. They exited the vehicle together and jogged towards the front of the house. She was wearing a blue dress that fell halfway down her thighs, and Chad couldn’t help but wonder how Jason would feel about it. Her clothes weren’t slutty, but they weren’t exactly modest, and Pamela seemed to have been a very conservative woman.

“They’re home, Tracy!”

Tracy came racing down the stairs into the kitchen, a first aid kit clutched against her chest. Her smile rivaled the brightness of the half moon, plunging a knife into Chad’s heart. The kids’ father, Doctor Jarvis, had left them to fend for themselves. If their mother was taken away from them, or even worse, if Trish was killed alongside Tracy, Tommy would have no one. His mental health would never be the same.

She whipped the door open and swept Trish and Tommy into her arms. They looked over her shoulders with raised eyebrows and open mouths, failing to understand the urgency of the occasion. Tommy’s eyes brightened as he spotted Chad limping to the kitchen table. Smiling hesitantly, Chad gripped the back of a chair. That’s exactly what he needed. A little boy following him around and getting traumatized by the sights and sounds of people getting murdered.

“Um, mom... are you okay?” Trish asked after Tracy finally released them. Her eyes flicked to the first aid kit hanging from her mom’s hand. “Did someone get hurt?”

“Honey, that’s what I’m going to find out. You should wait here with Tommy. Go to his bedroom and lock the door.”

Tommy groaned. “Mom... can’t I stay up for a bit longer?”

“No, you may not.” Tracy chuckled and stepped aside, facing the kitchen. She gestured in the direction of the staircase. “Now get up there before I strangle you.”

Tommy dragged himself to the staircase, giving Chad a half-hearted wave on the way there. Chad returned it with more enthusiasm, trying to ignore the bloody footprint from Tommy’s shoe. He’d stepped in the blood in front of the door, but it was too dark for them to notice. The lightning flashes were infrequent.

“You too, Trish,” Tracy said, raising a finger.

Trish sighed and followed Tommy. Their footsteps traveled up the stairs and paused at the top for a few seconds. With a hand on her hip, Tracy waited until she heard a door close. One of Tommy’s windows faced the front yard, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the kids left when the opportunity presented itself.

“All right.” Tracy moved her hand to her mouth and whispered, “Now let’s go check on Rob.”

Chad nodded and crept out of the house with Tracy, softly closing the door behind him. She pulled a key out of her sweatpants and locked it. Even if the killer hadn’t been Jason, a man would have no trouble kicking the door down. Hell, a female could also do it with this measly doorknob lock. Nevertheless, Tracy’s shoulders relaxed as she turned to the vacation house. This would buy her kids a bit of time to escape if they heard the noise. But where would they go? The upper floor was another death trap because of the high windows.

He let Tracy go first, walking slowly behind her as she jogged to the vacation house. His ass was feeling better already, but the others would wonder how he’d been able to transition from limping to jogging in such a short amount of time. An adrenaline rush would be his excuse for the sprinting incident with Rob, and maybe a twisted ankle for the limping. He couldn’t say that he’d taken Jason Voorhees’ cock up his ass.

His shoes were caked with mud by the time he reached the porch. Tracy looked at him with an arched eyebrow, but she didn’t ask about his lack of haste. A startled gasp left her mouth as she spotted the large patch of blood, and she hammered her fist on the door. The lights were on, though no sounds came from within.

“Hello? Anyone home?” After a few seconds of silence, Tracy knocked again. “Hm. The car’s here, the lights are on...”

“Rob was confined to the couch when I last saw him. Maybe the others went to look for a spare battery.”

Chad shivered from the wetness seeping through his plastered clothes, and Tracy gave him a look of concern before opening the door. Stepping inside, she waited until he entered and then closed it. Beer cans and baggies of joints were strewn on the coffee and buffet tables on the left side. Tracy frowned and shook her head at the sight of them. At least the vintage porn had run its course. A blank screen was all that remained, accompanied by clicking in the background, and a fire was burning in the nearby fireplace. The biggest change was Rob’s absence, sending another chill through Chad.

Tracy tossed the first aid kit onto the nearest couch. “I guess I won’t be playing doctor tonight. I’m going to check around the house and see if I can find a spare fuse.” Her frown reappeared as her eyes darted between Chad’s injuries. “Stay safe out there. If I can’t find one, I’ll see if I can make it to the hospital to report whatever the hell happened.”

Chad nodded. “Good luck.”

She turned to leave, then looked at him again. “The blood on the porch... were you there when Rob got attacked?”

“Yeah, but it happened so fast that I couldn’t really process it. Rob... let’s just say he shouldn’t be walking around after what happened to him.” Chad sighed and tugged at his shirt collar, freeing the fabric from his wet chest. “I feel really bad that I couldn’t do more for him.”

With a gentle smile, Tracy stroked the side of Chad’s head in a motherly gesture that made him stiffen down to his toes. Another dagger was plunged into his heart. Staring straight ahead, he listened to her footsteps retreat and the sound of the door being closed. A good woman was going to die tonight because he hadn’t had the sense to avoid getting the Jarvis family pulled into this mess. He should’ve told the cops that he hadn’t found a place to stay yet, and they could’ve directed him to a hotel. From there, he could’ve called his mom and asked for his convertible back, using it to drive to his new home.

It was far too late to think about what could have been. The only viable option now was to try figuring out what happened here, starting with upstairs. There had to be some clues about what had happened. He hadn’t heard any screams after he’d left the vacation house, so maybe they’d split up to look for the gas and battery. Or maybe there were a bunch of corpses up there. These people didn’t seem like the sharpest tools in the shed, so it wouldn’t surprise him if they’d allowed themselves to be cornered. Booze and drugs did crazy things to the brain, though he hadn’t seen Jimmy, Doug, and Sara indulge in anything.

His ass was still burning slightly, and each slow step up the stairs made him regret using the sheath all over again. But it had also been worth the discomfort. During his nap, he’d had an awful dream involving the barn, and the roleplay had been a great way to distract himself from that incident plus Jason’s strange behavior. He’d never expected Jason to show submission to that degree. Hopefully it could be taken even further in the future.

The first stop was the bathroom. In front of the tub, Sara’s pink top and skirt were lying on the floor with a damp towel. The sliding glass door was open and there weren’t any bodies inside. She’d decided to take a steamy shower to unwind. Where had she gotten the towel from? The stack where the med spray was hidden? Chad’s heart thumped as he strode to the shelf. Only one towel was there, and the can was gone. It wasn’t a big deal. More med sprays could possibly be found inside the cabins. Besides, Jason’s healing abilities would take care of any injury.

Even as the thoughts crossed Chad’s mind, they offered no reassurance to his pounding heart. Whoever had taken the med spray would know of his lie. No, everything would be fine. He could simply say that he hadn’t searched thoroughly enough. Breathing out a loud sigh, he left the bathroom and entered the bedroom where Jimmy and Tina had fooled around.

The end of the bed was at an angle, tilting down to the floor. It appeared that the frame had broken, causing the footboard to come loose as well. Aside from that, nothing looked disturbed, though the smell of beer was prominent. The skank hadn’t gotten any dick tonight, and it served her right for going after four guys. Maybe Jimmy hadn’t enjoyed being treated like leftovers, or maybe the guy really did have problems with his pecker. Nerves could play a big role in performance.

Chad turned to the doorway and walked into the bedroom across the hall. A hair dryer was on the dresser, another damp towel was on the floor, and an open weekender bag was on the narrow bed. Sara had come here to groom herself and get changed, and possibly prepare herself for a romantic night with Doug. Never mind Rob’s attacker roaming around. It didn’t look like they’d had sex though. The blanket was pristine.

Coming upstairs hadn’t yielded many clues except confirm that the group hadn’t gotten attacked here. No blood, no frantic attempts to search for items in the drawers. Chad re-entered the hallway. There was one more bedroom to check across from the bathroom, but a quick peek around the doorframe revealed nothing of interest. He went back downstairs with more questions than when he’d arrived. Why hadn’t Jason taken advantage of the ambush opportunities when he’d had the chance? Why hadn’t the others checked up on Paul and Samantha at the Jarvis House? Where the hell had Rob gone, and how could he have moved in his severely injured state?

The basement was the only place he hadn’t been to yet, so he headed there next, cutting through the right half of the living room. A single bulb illuminated the top of the stairs, gradually fading into darkness. Although the danger aspect didn’t extend to himself, that didn’t mean he wanted to trip over a dead body. His heartbeat quickened as he descended the stairs. If he was lucky, he could find a flashlight and walkie-talkie down here. The latter would help put an end to this mystery.

It looked like any old basement. There were shelves with cans of paint, spare mattresses, and other random junk. A brown bear pelt was hanging on the wall near the washer and dryer, reminding him of Rob’s excuse about hunting for them. He’d referenced a destroyed shotgun. Beside the dryer, there was a tall shelving unit. The lowest shelf contained a small milk can and a fan, but more interesting was the long void where there wasn’t any dust. Chad had just enough light to see it. The unit closest to the door also had a void, shorter than the previous.

“You sneaky bastard... good luck fighting with one hand.”

With his hands out in front of him, he circled around the back of the staircase and came across a desk. The left drawer held a flashlight and the right drawer held a walkie-talkie. Grinning at his luck, he put them into his pockets. Before getting in touch with the others, he wanted to see if Tracy had found a fuse. The cops could be on their way, and it would be a race against time to find Jason and talk him into leaving. He’d survived an axe strike to the skull, but a bullet to the brain would be a different story.

Now the question was, endure the stairs again or head all the way around the house from the outside? A particularly loud thunder boom had him opting for the stairs. The storm was showing no signs of slowing down, with only a second between the booms and the lightning flashes. Wherever Jason was, hopefully he was safe. What would a lightning strike do to his supernatural body? Chad didn’t want to find out.

The front door was flapping on its hinges, cool gusts of wind pouring inside. Shielding his eyes with an arm, he jogged across the yard to the Jarvis House, already soaked to the bone when he reached the porch. His footsteps had drawn Trish to the door, her eyes shining with hopefulness through the kitchen window beside it, but the light left them immediately. She opened the door, hand trembling on the knob.

“The phone box was ripped off. Someone ripped it off the wall. Sparks were flying out of it, and when Mom checked it again, it was gone! And then she—”

Chad held up a hand. “Slow down. Is Tommy okay?”

After taking a deep breath, Trish nodded. “He’s in his bedroom. Mom found a spare fuse for the box on the side of the house, but when she went to install it, the whole thing was gone and wires were hanging everywhere. She was supposed to get help, and she left about ten minutes ago, and... she hasn’t come back.”

Chad looked at Trish’s dress, which was no longer damp. “You might want to change into something else while you have the chance. It’s pretty bad out here.” The weekender bags in his cabin held a hundred shirts and pairs of pants that his mom had packed for him, but of course no coat. He regretted not having the sense to buy one while he’d been out shopping these past few days.

Trish squeezed past him and leapt down the porch stairs, evidently having her own ideas about what to do. To the right, there was another set of stairs, resembling more of a slope with widely-spaced logs. She cleared them in a few leaps and continued jogging across the road, which led to the small bridge. The porch overhang had provided a welcome reprieve from the rain, but Chad closed the front door and followed her from a distance, walking briskly in an effort to keep up. One of these paths had to lead to Jason.

By the time Chad reached the map stand at the intersection of two trails, Trish had already reached the camp with the yellow tent. He stopped there and hugged himself, his teeth chattering. Partially obscured by trees, her small form was visible in the distance, opening the tent flap. Whatever she’d been looking for, she didn’t find it, and she jogged back up the trail. Turning left at the intersection, she started to follow the shoreline of Dier Bay, and Chad was forced to quicken his pace to a jog.

Rob. That’s who she was looking for. Her knight in shining armor who would lead her to Tracy with his expert wilderness skills. Blackfoot Camp came into sight on the right side. The rain had extinguished the campfire. Two tents were situated there, blue and yellow, along with several cooking pots, a crate of full cola bottles, and a red chair. A radio was on a tiny folding table, no doubt for Rob to receive news updates on Jason. Thanks to the weather, his stalking would be put to an end.

Out of breath, Chad rested a hand on the yellow tent. The bandage was soaked through like the rest of him, and each flex of his hand had caused a dull ache on the way here. Trish bent over and entered the tent, looking like a drowned rat herself. She turned around and waved a hand through the opening, which was rolled up. Chad gladly accepted the invitation, sitting at the back beside her with his legs folded under him. The interior was illuminated by a lantern.

Rob had told the truth about his shotgun. The barrel was literally bent in half, and random chunks were missing from the other parts. Jason had really gone to town on it, likely remembering the discussion in the bathtub about the shotgun being capable of blowing a hole through his chest. Ripped maps of Camp Crystal Lake, Packanack Lodge, Higgins Haven, and this area were strewn around. The newspaper articles involving Jason had also been shredded. Apparently he didn’t approve of Rob’s obsession with him.

“Have you seen Rob lately?” Trish asked.

“Yeah, about thirty minutes ago. He was attacked by someone.”

A hand flew up to Trish’s mouth. “You didn’t help him?”

“I couldn’t do anything. The guy was huge and... he had a huge knife. Rob told me to run. He disappeared from the house after we treated him.” And he’d acted like a real asshole, prompting Jason to chop off his arm, but Chad couldn’t think of a proper way to phrase that.

“Oh.” Trish stared at her wringing hands. “I have to find him. And mom, but Tommy is by himself, and... I don’t know what to do anymore.”

A twig snapped nearby, and their heads jerked to the right, shadowed branches visible through the tent’s walls. Trish’s breathing quickened and her lips parted as she listened for further sounds, but none came. She faced the front of the tent, looking at the strewn items on the floor. Ahead, only the red chair was in sight, but something was circling behind the tent. A shadow, slinking around to Trish’s left side. An arm raised, holding a weapon, the other hanging limply. The figure was far too small to be Jason, and it was missing a hand. Chad brought his palm to his forehead and sighed.

The tent fabric ripped open, the tip of a machete appearing through the long gash. Trish gasped, leaning her shoulder against him to get away from the attacker. As she crawled to the entrance, Rob appeared in front of it, his arm raising for another machete slice. The towel was gone, a blue plaid shirt in its place.

“What the hell are you doing here?!”

Trish looked him up and down, her tone equally as powerful. “What are you trying to do, kill me?!” The machete lowered, and her indignation disappeared as she noticed Rob’s wound. “What... what happened?”

Rob’s gaze darted to Chad, and the fanatic intensity returned to his eyes. An empty med spray can was sticking out of his pocket. He squatted and placed the machete on the ground, then pulled out the can and tossed it into the tent. It bumped into Chad’s knees and started to roll back. “Were you looking for this?”

Chad swatted the can aside and rose to his feet, ducking under the roof. He wasn’t going to let himself get intimidated by this one-handed asshole. Rob stood like a brick wall, feet spaced apart, refusing to move. Chad angled his body to the side and squeezed by Trish, unsurprised by the subsequent wrist grab. This time, it was his right wrist. He flexed his left hand, curling it into a fist.

“You’re working with Jason, and not only that. The rings. Are you screwing around with him too?”

“Rob!” Trish said. “What are you doing? Let him go. He’s injured.”

“I’m injured! He went upstairs to the bathroom and came back with a _towel_. The med spray was hidden!”

Chad closed his eyes and bit his lip, hard enough to cause pain. It was time to put his acting skills to use. When he opened them and looked up at Rob, a tear rolled down his cheek. Or was it a raindrop? Whatever. “The ring is just to tell people that I’m not available, and I didn’t see the med spray. I swear to you. I almost got sick when you were attacked.”

The grip on his wrist lessened and Rob looked away for a few seconds. With a loud sigh, he let go and met Chad's eyes again. “Sorry. I just... I need to find Jason and put a stop to this.”

Chad smiled gently. “I understand. What happened to your sister was awful.” He turned his head to Trish. “I’ll check up on Tommy while you look for your mom. Sound good?”

“Thanks. Be careful, and if you need to take shelter, feel free to stay in the house.”

“Will do. See you guys later.”

Chad began to walk down the trail, stopping halfway to make a show of massaging his ankle. He’d survived the asshole, but that didn’t mean he was no longer under suspicion. By playing the poor cripple card, people would suspect him less. It had worked for Trish.

As he crossed the bridge, the front door opened, revealing Tommy holding a flashlight. Tommy pressed a finger to his lips and waved Chad over with his other hand. Glancing over his shoulder, Chad checked to see if Trish and Rob were watching, but the coast was clear. He sprinted across the road and up the slope, ignoring the aches. Playing babysitter wasn’t what he wanted to be doing tonight, but what else could he do? Jason hadn’t made any attempts at contact yet, and the others were off doing their own thing somewhere.

“I’m going to see if I can fix the phone,” Tommy said, descending the porch stairs. He gestured to the side of the house with the flashlight as he started walking there.

“The box is over here.”

“Your sister said the box was ripped off. It’s gone.”

Tommy stopped walking and turned around. “Really? What about the fuse box in the basement?”

Chad shrugged. “She didn’t say anything about that.” It was clearly destroyed because of the lack of power, but Jason might not have resorted to ripping the whole thing off.

“Well, let’s check it out. Come on.”

Tommy transferred the flashlight to his left hand, using his right to hold Chad’s uninjured one. It was warm, offering a strange sort of comfort in the cold night. Under other circumstances, he could’ve been friends with Tommy, despite the five or six-year difference in age. This kid had a maturity level far beyond his years. He led Chad down the slope to a lattice enclosure. The basement door was already open, and Tommy paused inside the enclosure as he looked into the blackness.

“We always keep this door closed so the animals don’t get inside.”

Tommy released Chad’s hand and took a few hesitant steps inside, beaming his flashlight around. The fuse box was on the left side of the doorframe, its metal door hanging open. A pile of crushed fuses were on the floor. The wires at the top and bottom had been ripped out, though the connectors appeared to be intact. It seemed like Jason had been looking for a generator, but he’d discovered this instead. He hadn’t raged through the door, not wanting to alert anyone.

“The key rack’s gone. We had a few for the house, car...”

A few broken weapons were lying around. From a nearby table, Tommy grabbed a chunk of orange plastic that looked like it used to be a flare gun, his eyes widening slightly as the light reflected off his glasses. He put the chunk down and examined the rest of the basement from afar. Baseball bat splinters were on a desk at the back, and a shelf on the right side contained two metal halves that belonged to a machete. Tommy looked sideways at Chad, sharing a silent understanding with him. Someone had been here, but little did Tommy know, that person had been Jason.

“Tommy, I think you should go back inside and lock the door.”

He shook his head and turned to the doorway, staring at the mat on the floor. The flashlight hung limply. “I can’t. My mom and sister are out there.”

Chad rested a hand on Tommy’s shoulder. “Yeah, and they’re gonna kill me if I let something happen to you. Please just wait inside. And uh... try not to be scared.”

Tommy perked up and looked at him again, his face nearly invisible in the darkness. “I have a walkie-talkie in my bedroom. If you need help, you can call me on channel thirteen.”

Chad didn’t know if his walkie-talkie had survived the rain, but he smiled nonetheless. It was hard to say no to Tommy, even though the hopeful eyes couldn’t be seen. “All right.”

He followed Tommy out of the basement and pulled the door closed, watching him jog up the slope through the lattice, his footsteps silent over the sounds of the storm. It would surprise the hell out of him if Tommy actually stayed in his bedroom. After giving Tommy a few seconds to get inside, Chad retrieved the walkie-talkie from his pocket and tried to find somewhere on his body that wasn’t soaked. There was nothing dry to wipe it on, so he shrugged and pressed the power button. A soft crackling sound emerged. He spun the channel dial slowly, searching for any signs of life out there, but it was quiet otherwise. The damn thing was probably fried. He was about to turn it off when a choppy voice was heard from channel three. It sounded like Doug.

“...gas... south... camp. Paul... keys...”

Chad lifted the walkie-talkie to his mouth and pushed the talk button. “Doug? You found gas for my car?”

“Yeah. S... huge...” It was easy to fill in the blanks. Saw a huge guy with a hockey mask, wielding a huge knife.

“Which camp did you say?” Chad hoped to hell that Rob wasn’t listening to this channel. A guy like him would surely have a walkie-talkie to enhance his snooping capabilities.

“Elm... bring... w...”

“Thanks.”

Chad pocketed the walkie-talkie. From what he remembered, three camps were in this area. Fire Branch to the west, Blackfoot to the southeast, and Elmwood to the southwest. The first part of the message was clear, but the last? Bring a weapon? That wasn’t going to happen. He could never bring himself to hurt Jason, even knowing that it would only stun him for a short period. The others would have to fend for themselves.

As he left the enclosure and dragged his chilly feet up the slope, he was tempted to continue heading west. His cabin was several minutes away, but it would provide the opportunity to change his clothes that would get soaked a few seconds later. Going there would also delay him from having to explain why the group couldn’t use his car. It would fit four people including himself, perhaps a fifth with a tight fit, and no explanation would get him out of that mess. He had to let them die because it might cure his killer husband’s bloodlust for a short period? That wouldn’t work unless his goal was to get beaten to a pulp and have his car keys taken by force.

It was better to face whatever was coming than be a coward. If the action was to the south, that meant Jason was there too. After stepping onto the road that ran beside the Jarvis House, Chad started heading south, taking off at a sprint. He was able to make it halfway down before his stamina depleted, and he hunched over, panting as it recovered. The interval between lightning and thunder was getting longer, but the rain was relentless, making him shiver violently. According to the medical books, it was an old wives’ tale that being cold would make someone catch a cold, though it did affect the immune system. Maybe he would spend a few minutes by a warm fireplace while people were getting murdered.

He’d barely taken two more steps when a series of shrieks ripped through the air, sending another chill down his spine. Using a burst of stamina, he reached the intersection of two roads. The right path led to Elmwood, a cluster of three cabins, but the shrieks had sounded like they’d been coming from the other direction. He turned left, walking slowly as he fought to catch his breath. The power had been knocked out in this area, forcing him to take out his flashlight and clip it to his belt in order to see properly. The flashlight was still working, providing a dim beam.

Two large cabins were in this area, where he’d gone with the group on the way to Crystal Point. Between them lay the source of the shrieks... Samantha. Chad stopped at the darkened lamppost, staring at the grisly scene. Her decapitated head, with its eyes half-closed and mouth slightly open, had rolled a few feet away from where he was standing. A severed leg and a boat propeller were near the corpse.

Dier Bay stretched from the northern dock to here, and there was another dock with a boat. It was behind the waterside cabin. Samantha must’ve been heading for the boat to install the propeller, but she’d veered off course upon sighting Jason. He’d intercepted her with the use of his shift ability, severed her leg, and followed up with a chop to the neck after she’d fallen on her back.

Chad retrieved the walkie-talkie and held it up to his mouth. Should the others be told about the death? A normal person would be terrified by this discovery and try to warn them. He pressed the push-to-talk button. “I... I found a corpse. Samantha is dead. She’s at the southeastern cabins.”

He only received dead air in response. Perhaps there hadn’t been enough walkie-talkies to go around. Everything in these cabins would be items that the previous campers had left behind. He put the device back into his pocket and turned to the smaller of the two cabins. The front door was wide open like the other cabin, and the window beside it was also open. Samantha had entered through the windows because of the locked doors, then opened them from the inside. With Jason’s excellent hearing, he would’ve heard Doug saying that Paul had the keys. And Paul wouldn’t have left his girlfriend by herself to search the cabins for a spare fuse. More pieces of the puzzle had to be in there.

As Chad entered the cabin, an answer came quickly in the form of another corpse. It was in front of a small storage unit on the right side of the room. Paul’s throat had been slit, and his eyes were staring at the rafters above his head. A flashlight was clipped to his shorts, beaming at the ceiling, but he didn’t have a walkie-talkie. There was a small cut on his hairline. The blood in the Jarvis House... maybe Samantha had hit him with something, startled by him showing up unexpectedly.

Paul must’ve been killed silently before Samantha. Otherwise her shrieks would’ve drawn him out of this cabin. Perhaps they’d been searching the cabin together, and when she’d found the propeller, she’d left to install it. Two kills within seconds. Jason wasn’t fooling around.

The front door suddenly closed behind Chad. Before he had a chance to react, thick arms wrapped around his chest in a tight hug, almost enough to steal his breath away. One hand gripped the bloody pig splitter. He smiled as he stared at the small table in front of him, comforted by the warmth of Jason’s body, the shivers finally ceasing. There were many things he wanted to say, but he knew this moment couldn’t last forever. The death sentence hadn’t been completely fulfilled yet.

“Are you okay? Did they injure you?”

An X was drawn on his chest with a finger.

“I’m sorry that I... pulled you into this mess. I was worried about the cops finding our home, and it turned out that they didn’t know.”

The group might’ve lived for a few more days if he’d hadn’t come here tonight, though that would’ve just been delaying the inevitable. Murderous urges, regardless of where they came from, couldn’t be gotten rid of so easily.

Jason released him and jogged through one of the open doors at the back of the room. He returned with a pencil and paper, stopping beside the table to write. It was barely readable with the use of his left hand.

_They would have died anyway. Have to get rid of the red. Kill enough, red goes away? Leaving now. Wanted to hold my Chad first._

The words were immediately scribbled out after the last one, and the paper was ripped to shreds, becoming a pile on the table. Blinking back the tears, Chad reached for the hand that held the pig splitter, but Jason was already gone. Wouldn’t there be time for holding each other after all of this was over?

He collected the pencil and the shredded paper. Not a single piece of evidence could be left behind, excluding the corpses. If he really wanted to be a jerk to these people, he could take Paul’s car keys and eliminate an escape route, but the thought was quickly pushed from his mind. Jason didn’t need help in that department. Assuming they managed to find a battery and install it, his shift ability would take care of the rest. He could’ve also found some bear traps in the forest.

Out of the four windows in this first half of the cabin, three didn’t have shutters. As Chad turned to the front door, he was struck by the realization that someone might’ve been watching. Someone with silent footsteps like the twins. No, Jason would’ve sensed them with that weird ability. He’d never confirmed through writing that he was able to sense fear, but Chad was certain of it. There had been multiple occasions when Jason had looked at him so intensely that it was almost like he'd been seeing below the surface.

No point staying here and worrying about being spotted. Jason had emerged unscathed from two encounters, but that might not be the case with the rest. Chad opened the door, freezing at the sight on the other side.

“Hey Chad,” Tommy said. The flashlight reflected off his glasses and he squinted against the glare.

“What...” Chad widened his stance, trying to block the view into the cabin. “I asked you to stay in the house.”

“I know, but...” Tommy looked at the pencil and shredded paper in Chad’s hand. His own hand was holding a machete. “I got bored, so I thought I’d look for Gordon. And... and maybe help you.”

Chad squeezed past him and strode to the shoreline across from the front door. He tossed the paper and pencil into the water, watching the pieces float on the surface for a few seconds until they began to sink. Tommy appeared beside him, his footsteps silent. Maybe seeing some dead bodies would knock sense into this kid. People were dying and the danger was real. This wasn’t a field trip.

“What were those for?” Tommy asked, pointing at the water with the machete.

“Just some shit I had in my pocket. Finally decided to get rid of them.” Chad took a deep breath and exhaled. Why did it have to be Tommy showing up? Why not one of the twins or even Rob? That asshole had been dealt with once before. “Samantha and Paul are dead. You shouldn’t be out here. And where did you get the machete?”

“I already saw the body. My stomach feels funny, but I’m okay.” Tommy looked sideways at him, his expression unreadable under the added shadows of his baseball cap. “I hid the machete in my room. Please don’t tell my mom.”

Chad sighed, frantically searching his mind for an argument that would get Tommy back home. Kids wouldn’t fit into the type of people Jason usually went after, so Tommy would be safe if he didn’t try to intervene in the melee.

Doug’s voice emerged from his pocket, providing a temporary reprieve from the task at hand. “Chad? You there?”

Chad retrieved the walkie-talkie. “Yeah, I’m here.”

“We’re heading for your car with the gas.”

This couldn’t be any worse. Well technically it could, but he tried not to think of the many ways this night could get shittier. “We? How many?”

“Me, Sara, Jimmy, and Ted. Tina and Terri are going back to the house to install the battery.” Doug sounded strangely calm, like he hadn’t heard the part about Samantha’s corpse.

“Seriously? You sent them to install the battery? Do they look like mechanics to you?” The stupid girls would probably zap themselves to death. Chad waited for a response, but none came. “Doug?”

“I can help them install the battery,” Tommy said. “And I’m pretty fast. I can get there before they do.”

Chad put the walkie-talkie into his pocket and held his head as he stared across the water. “Look. I’m cold, tired, and I want to get out of here.” He lowered his hands and looked at Tommy. “You can do whatever you want. But if you see that guy, make sure you run into the house, lock the door, and hide.”

Tommy nodded solemnly. He took off at a sprint to the north, following the shoreline, his flashlight illuminating the way. Good. He’d handled one dead body, but watching a group get cut down? It would traumatize him for life. The convertible was going to be the scene of a massacre, and hopefully Jason wouldn’t get too carried away by painting it red.

Chad turned to the road and began the long trek back towards the Jarvis House, jogging to conserve energy. The brunt of the storm had gone elsewhere, but the rain was still relentless. There wasn’t a speck of dryness on his whole body, his head was pounding, and he longed for the safety of home with Jason by his side. At this point, it would be a miracle if he was greeted by a pile of corpses at his convertible. That would leave only Trish and Rob, assuming Jason hadn’t killed them yet.

When he reached the intersection, a flash of brown bolted from behind a tree, accompanied by the smell of wet dog. Gordon trotted alongside him, whining profusely.

“Well you should’ve stayed inside, you dumb mutt.”

Gordon looked up at him and wagged his tail. Chad was getting used to the smell of blood, but wet dog never failed to make him gag. He pinched his nose. How could he possibly raise a puppy with Jason? Dogs still needed to be walked when the weather was crap. Maybe the pet store carried rain boots and raincoats for them.

“Get out of here. Tommy was looking for you.”

Gordon zoomed up the road, becoming a blur and soon disappearing out of sight. Chad lowered his hand. The air still smelled like frogs and worms, but it was slightly more tolerable without the addition of dog. The rest of the way to White’s Trail was gag-free.

Chad paused at the entrance, debating whether to check the status of Paul’s car or continue heading to his own car. The debate was answered by a scream to the west, and he continued towards his convertible, heart pounding. If things got too gory, he could always look away. He didn’t want to imagine himself becoming desensitized to the suffering of others.

Unlike his expectations, a gruesome scene didn’t await him. The gas can had been discarded in front of the hood, joined by a broken baseball bat and a bent frying pan. The shattering of glass was heard around the exterior of his cabin, and a bunch of huddled forms were visible through a shuttered window. This group had finally begun to take the danger seriously. He sprinted to the door, and as heavy footsteps circled around the back, he pounded on the wood with his fist.

“Open the fucking door!”

The barricade was raised and the door whipped open. He bolted inside and slammed it shut behind him, quickly re-barricading it with a loud thump. The heavy footsteps went silent, and he turned to the group, trembling from what could easily pass as being fear. The others were in similar drenched states, but their fear was real, wide eyes visible in the darkness.

“Okay, everyone calm down,” Doug said, holding his hands out beside him. He’d changed out of his bloody shirt, replacing it with the blue striped one he’d worn on Thursday.

Sara was to the right, her cream sweater and blue jeans reminding Chad of Deborah. She was standing in a half circle with Jimmy and Ted. Except for Jimmy, who had a corkscrew handle sticking out of his pocket, no one had any weapons.

“Calm down?” Sara asked, stamping a foot. She folded her hands over her chest. “I heard Sam screaming!”

Chad pressed a finger to his lips and pointed a thumb over his shoulder.

“Oh... sorry.” Sara bowed her hand and stared at the floor. Her shaky legs were barely able to keep her upright.

“We need a plan,” Doug whispered. “There aren’t enough seats for everyone to escape. We have seven with Tina and Terri.”

Ted waved a hand. “Fuck ‘em.” He grinned at Chad. “Man, you should’ve seen Sam and Tina goin’ at it. That slut was clingin’ to Paul for dear life, and then Sam—”

Doug leaned to the side and shoved Ted’s shoulder. “Come on. Get your head in the game unless you wanna die young.” The grin disappeared in a flash and Doug straightened up. “We need people to distract Jason while someone pours the gas.”

“And uh, how do you propose we distract him, exactly?” Jimmy asked quietly, his arms crossed in their usual state.

“We have to find more weapons and just keep hitting him. Chad can pour the gas. You have the keys, right?”

Chad swallowed. “Yeah. But someone should also get the keys from Paul’s corpse in case we need another escape route. And Samantha too, she’s...” His unspoken words hung heavy in the air.

Sara turned away, striding to the couch in front of the fireplace. She sat down and curled her legs to her chest. Reaching behind him, Doug rested a hand on her shoulder briefly. She merely hugged herself tighter, staring at the unlit fireplace. This would be a good time to warm up a bit, since Jason seemed to be taking things carefully instead of charging. Chad walked over to the fireplace and added a few pieces of wood from the stash beside it.

“Anyone have a light?”

Ted dug a hand into his pocket and tossed him a lighter. Of course he’d brought one with him. Probably had a baggie of joints too. Sure enough, he pulled out a joint and waited for the fireplace to be lit. Chad tossed it back and knelt in front of the heat. No point changing his clothes if he was going to get wet a few seconds later, but at least he could ease the shivers that continued to burden him.

The smell of skunk filled the living room as Ted took a drag. “So what’s the plan again?”

Doug sighed. “Chad is right. Someone should go back for the keys just in case.”

“I... I can go,” Sara offered, making Chad’s heart drop. Her eyes glistened with tears as she looked at Doug. “I want to say goodbye to Sam.”

“Sara, she’s gone. We heard the screams. Can’t do anything about it now.”

“Then... I’ll just get the keys and come back.”

Doug shook his head adamantly. “No. I can’t let you go by yourself. I’ll go with you.”

“Well, where does that leave us?” Jimmy asked.

“You and Ted will buy us enough time to get down there. If Chad can get the car started, he can pick us up.” What a wonderful idea. And get his convertible smashed to smithereens.

Jimmy snorted. He was capable of dishing it out verbally, but his physique wasn’t exactly suited for pummelling a man with superhuman strength. “Have you contemplated the idea that maybe the guy is outside, listening to our little plan?”

“Relax, Jimbo. We got this.” Ted took another drag, his pupils as big as saucers.

Doug gestured down the middle hallway. “Check the rooms on either side for weapons and items. You might wanna grab one too, Chad.”

Suppressing another sigh, Chad stood up and left the warmth of the fire, heading for the desk across from the front door. The landlord hadn’t required a security deposit, but he would surely pin a hefty bill once he saw the condition of this cabin. The floor was littered with glass from the shattered windows, and the doors would soon become piles of splintered wood. Jason was just waiting for the right moment to strike.

The desk drawers held only stacks of paper and writing instruments. Ted had better luck in the bedroom, discovering a baseball bat propped against a tall dresser. After stubbing out his joint, he performed a few practice swings. Jimmy returned with wrench from the workbench at the end of the middle hallway. This wasn’t going to end well for them. Both weapons had stunning power, but Jason could block until they broke.

Once Ted had staggered back to the living room, Doug stood in the front corner and looked everyone over. One baseball bat, one wrench, and one corkscrew for weapons. Chad and Doug each had a walkie-talkie and flashlight, and the other flashlight belonged to Jimmy. Sara appeared to have nothing, still hugging herself on the couch.

“You know, it would be easier for us to just take the car and—” Jimmy began, his sentence interrupted by the rumble of an engine.

Everyone rushed to the front window and looked through the broken glass. The Chevrolet Caprice Estate zoomed by, heading north and nearly clipping the convertible. Tina was driving and Terri was beside her. Chad smiled faintly at the irony of the situation. He’d considered doing the same thing to Tiffany and Lachappa at Packanack. Still, it was a bitchy move for them to abandon the others to their fates, especially when the car had enough room for eight people.

“Hey, wait!” Doug shouted. “That’s Paul’s car!”

He lifted the barricade, yanked open the door, and ran out onto the middle of the road, flailing his arms. His friends joined him with attempting to get the twins’ attention, and Chad strode to the other side of his convertible to ensure that it hadn’t sustained any damage. Not a single scratch on it. He had more than enough money for repairs, but it would’ve been a slap in the face to have Tina escape with Paul’s car and damage this one in the process.

The twins had reached the curve in the road, a short distance away from the northern intersection, when a loud crunch permeated the air. It was followed by the halting of the car. Now would be a good time to pour the gas, but why do that if his convertible would end up the same way? Jason wouldn’t hesitate to block the escape.

Doug turned to Chad and gestured frantically at the gas can. “Go! While we have the chance!”

Chad limped to the hood and grabbed the gas can, his stomach doing flips. The can was heavy, having plenty of gas to get these people home. He carried it to the fuel tank, which was located at the rear, and knelt in front of it. His hands shook as he flipped up the license plate, unscrewed the cap, and put it on the pavement beside the can. One of the twins was screaming, and multiple gasps were heard.

Peeking around the left side of the car, he watched Jason stab the pig splitter into the mud beside the smoking vehicle. He choke-slammed a twin behind the weapon, positioning her body horizontally so the group had a clear view of what he was doing, her feet facing the road. The impact of her back against the ground caused the air to be knocked out of her, and she made a weak attempt to tilt her body in their direction, arm reaching for help that wasn’t coming. Jason yanked the pig splitter out of the mud, stabbed it blade-first between her legs, and proceeded to tug her by the ankles until she was split in half up to the neck. Her screams had stopped after the first pull. The sight was too far away to make out all of the gory details, but Tina was identifiable as the victim by her pink pants, now splattered with red and brown.

Terri had been rooted to the spot, a hand covering her mouth as she stood in the middle of the road. When Jason pulled the pig splitter from between Tina’s two halves, Terri finally recovered from her stunned state and began to sprint towards the group, shrieking her head off.

“We can’t just watch!” Sara said, though no one made a move to help, stunned by the same morbid curiosity. Doug and Jimmy’s flashlights beamed over Terri’s terrified face.

Terri only cleared a few feet before Jason materialized in front of her and swung the side of the pig splitter against her head. Her hands flew up to her forehead, blood seeming to spurt out of her ear from the force of the blow. A large boot pressed into her chest, forcing her onto her back. Jason stepped over her body, one foot on either side of her chest. The pig splitter was gripped like a guillotine, and it slammed down on her neck as he squatted, the blade severing her head in a blink. It rolled up the road towards the destroyed car, and when Jason turned to the group, they also had a moment of realization. If they stayed here, frozen like statues, their lives would be coming to a swift end.

“Chad? Did you pour the gas?” Doug asked, running to the back of the car. The door handles on the driver and passenger side were frantically pulled on by Ted and Sara, with Jimmy standing behind Ted. Doug picked up the full gas can and looked at Chad incredulously. “What the fuck?”

“Sorry...” Chad stood up and backed away towards the cabin, watching Jason stomp closer, a mere twenty meters from the car. “I was too scared, and...”

Doug pointed at the cabin. “Go in there and grab the fire poker. Anything! I’ll fill up the tank.”

Chad walked through the front door, holding his stomach. A loud thwak made him flinch, and a heavy body fell to the concrete. He had to stop this. More thwaks were heard as he grabbed the fire poker and jogged outside, stopping at the driver’s door. Jason was lying on his back in front of the hood, eyes closed. Ted was standing at his feet with the baseball bat gripped tightly. Jimmy was at Jason’s head, his eyebrows furrowed as he stared at the hockey mask, rain washing away the blood on the wrench. Sara was behind Doug at the rear of the car, peeking around his body. A bundle of firecrackers was in his hand, and he was trying unsuccessfully to light a match.

Ted grinned at Chad and extended the bat. Fractures were running through it. “You wanna give it a go?”

“No, I... I can’t. I’ve never hurt anyone.” Besides being a jerk sometimes and pulling A.J’s hair at the yellow car battle.

“C’mon, man. He’s down for the count. Give him a good whack.”

“Chad, just get the car started,” Sara pleaded. “What if he gets up?”

“He’s not gonna get up.” Ted bent over, reaching for the bottom of the hockey mask. “Now let’s see if you’re as hideous as the stories say.”

His hand was inches away from the mask when Jason grabbed his wrist, snapping the bone like a twig. The sudden movement caused Jimmy to take a few steps back, wincing at the howls coming from his friend. As Jason bent at the waist and started rising to his feet, pig splitter in hand, a blow from the wrench made impact with the back of his head. It drew blood that was quickly washed away. Another strike arrived, but he didn’t make a sound, his narrowed eyes focusing on the bat that was raised above Ted’s head. It came down, lacking the strength of a two-handed swing, trying to stop Jason from reaching his full height. He blocked the bat with his forearm and it splintered in half. Ted looked up at him, both arms hanging limply at his sides, the grin long replaced by terror.

The handle of the pig splitter was spun in Jason’s hand until the blade was facing up. With a flick of his wrist, the sharp edge buried into Ted’s groin, causing a spurt of blood to fly out. Screaming in agony, Ted gripped the blunt edge with his right hand, trying to pull it out. Even his useless hand instinctively reached for the weapon, fingers only succeeding in pressing against it. In the background, the match strikes grew more frantic as Doug tried to light the firecrackers, and Sara’s eyes were squeezed shut. The thumps of the wrench finally stopped, pieces of metal flying off.

“Chad, the car!” Doug shouted.

“Right!”

Chad dropped the fire poker and swept it between the two sets of tires with his foot. He shoved his hands into his pockets and dug around, letting panic cross his face. Removing the cabin key, he tried to insert it into the door lock, but of course it didn’t fit. To his left, the pig splitter was removed with another squirt of blood, and Ted dropped to his knees. As Chad wiggled the tip of the key, a second large hand joined the first, gripping the weapon tightly. Jason raised it high over his head and buried the blade into Ted’s skull, cleaving his face in half, and the corpse fell onto the pavement.

Doug finally succeeded in lighting a match. He held the flame near the wick of the firecrackers. “Try another key!”

Heavy footsteps stomped towards the back of the car as Chad switched the cabin key with the house key. The flash of the blade appeared on his right side this time, aiming for Doug’s head in a downward stroke. Sara screamed and fumbled with a flare gun, pointing it at Jason’s eyes, and the blade faltered. In a flash, Jason was gone, the flare traveling past where his face used to be. Simultaneously, the lit firecrackers were dropped, creating an explosion of crackles.

“He did it again... just disappeared!” Doug jogged to the driver’s door and pried the house key out of Chad’s hand. “We gotta get out of here.” His attempts at forcing the key into the lock resulted in the metal bending, and he tossed it over his shoulder. “Fuck!”

Chad turned to the mud and squatted, sweeping his hands over it for the discarded key. If it could be bent back into shape...

Doug gripped his shoulder and shook him violently. “What are you doing, man? You drove here. You must have a key for your—”

His sentence was cut off as he gasped, drawing another scream out of Sara. Chad continued his search for the key, heart almost pounding out of his chest from the scents and sounds around him. His hands were caked with mud. Straight ahead, Jason was dragging Doug to the front doorway, an arm wrapped around his throat from behind. Sara pounded on Jason's back with her fists to no avail. She moved beside him and grasped his bicep, only succeeding in being dragged along. When they reached the doorway, she gave up and jogged over to Chad, wringing her hands in front of him.

“Help him! Please!”

“It’s too late, Sara.”

Screams erupted from the cabin, and sizzling flesh joined the other scents. Chad plucked the house key out of the mud, placed it in his palm, and stood up, letting the rain clean his filthy hands. After the screams stopped, the heavy footsteps began to approach. He wouldn’t be able to watch this next one.

A soft grunt made him and Sara look at the cabin. Jason whirled around to the doorway, a corkscrew embedded in the back of his neck. He ripped it out, blood squirting from the wound in steady pulses until the flesh started knitting together. Jimmy didn’t even have time to scream before the corkscrew was jammed into his temple.

The footsteps continued their advance to the car, and Sara turned her head back to Chad, looking at him with round eyes. Her trembling hands folded over her chest.

“Chad...?"

“Shhh... it’ll be okay, Sara. It won’t hurt.”

Chad pocketed the remains of the house key and faced the car. A neck snapped behind him and a body was tossed aside, but home wasn’t within reach yet. When he glanced over his shoulder, Jason was gone once again.

Leaving his car where it was, Chad began the trip back to the Jarvis House, taking the usual route through White’s Trail at a jog. His flashlight had started to flicked over the past few minutes, so he turned it off, relying on the bit of light from the stars that weren’t covered by clouds. He wanted to believe that Tommy was alive, but he couldn’t be sure until he saw him. Jason wouldn’t kill a little boy, would he? He haunted Crystal Lake to prevent the same fate from befalling other kids and to avenge his mother. His urges also seemed to stem from his hatred of young people who reminded him of the counselors.

As Chad reached the end of the trail, two sets of footsteps were heard, coming from the south. Trish and Rob were jogging side by side, small figures in the distance. Judging from the fact that Tracy wasn’t with them, they hadn’t had luck locating her. A shotgun was in Rob’s hand. He must’ve stashed it somewhere after taking it from the basement of the vacation house. His resilience was impressive, but how did he expect to shoot with one hand? Jason would have nothing to worry about.

Rob getting smacked in the face with his own gun would certainly be enjoyable, but Chad had his sights on something else. Surprisingly, the lights at the Jarvis House were on. Tommy had a knack for fixing stuff, and apparently he’d fixed the fuse box. Chad stepped onto the porch and knocked on the door. Within seconds, Tommy and Gordon were racing down the stairs. Tommy unlocked the door and opened it for him.

“Is Trish with you? And Mom?”

“Your sister should be here soon, but your mom...”

Glass shattered at the back of the house, and Tommy turned around, taking cautious steps through the living room. Chad closed the door and strode ahead of him, stopping at the base of the stairs. Rob had decided that the best route inside was to slam the barrel of the shotgun through the glass on the back door and then unlock it from the outside. What a great way to announce himself to a little kid and a killer who was lurking around.

Trish ran inside and hugged Tommy. “Oh thank God you’re okay!” She released him as Rob moved to the kitchen doorway.

“So you didn’t find Mom?” Tommy asked, glancing between Trish and Rob.

Trish grasped Tommy’s upper arms. “What? She’s not back yet?”

“No, not yet.”

Trish squeezed past Rob and picked up the phone, frantically pressing buttons. Tommy joined her in the kitchen, watching her from the counter with Gordon at his feet. She seemed to be hoping for a miracle, as she already knew the phone box had been ripped off. “I’m not getting anything. Now what?”

Rob hefted his shotgun. “I’m going next door. Chad can come with me. You stay here with Tommy.”

“I’m going with you guys!” Trish insisted, putting the phone in its holder.

“No!”

“I’m going!” she repeated, fixing Rob with a no-nonsense look. “You’re both injured.” She hurried over to Tommy and grasped his arms again. “Stay here, okay? And lock the doors.” Too bad Rob had just rendered one of them useless. Jason wouldn’t even have to rage through. He could stick his hand into the hole and unlock the doorknob.

“Tommy, hold the fort,” Rob said, following Trish through the kitchen to the front door.

“Gordon!” Trish called, and the dog sprang from Tommy’s side.

Chad gave Tommy a nod on the way there. Although he couldn’t stand Rob’s presence, he had to stay with these two in the slim chance that Jason required his assistance. Trish opened the door and Chad closed it behind them. The lock clicked.

“You see anything while you were out, Chad?” Rob asked as they descended the porch stairs.

“I heard some screams and saw that guy one time, but that’s about it. After I checked up on Tommy, I explored for a bit and ended up hiding inside a cabin.”

“Huh. You didn’t talk with anyone over the radio?”

Fuck. Did Rob know? He could’ve been out of range if he and Trish had looked for Tracy outside of this area. Instead of lying to him, it would be better to play it safe and assume he’d been listening.

“Yeah, I talked with Doug. I think he wanted me to meet them at Elmvale, but I was too scared to leave the cabin.”

Rob slowed his pace, lagging behind Trish and Gordon. “Your car is parked near there. Wouldn’t you have wanted to escape?”

Chad couldn’t stop his eyes from rolling dramatically. “Does it look like I went to my cabin? I’ve been walking around in wet clothes since the storm started.”

His annoyance disappeared as he remembered saying that he’d found Samantha’s corpse. He jogged to catch up with Trish, who was already on the porch with Gordon. Rob kept pace with him, eyes not leaving his face. Staring straight ahead, Chad didn’t show any emotion in response to his blunder.

Trish looked at the dried blood on the porch, then Rob’s missing arm. Dried chunks of barf were also there, clearly visible because of the exterior lights, and Chad gagged as Gordon licked the wood. “So this is where you almost bled out.”

“Yeah,” Rob replied. He offered the shotgun to Trish. “I don’t think I can shoot this with one hand. You ever use a gun before?”

Trish shook her head. “Mom doesn’t allow guns in the house.”

“Well, just whack him on the head or something.” Like that would result in anything productive. Rob seemed to have forgotten that his shotgun barrel had been bent in half.

Rob opened the door and stepped inside. It was dim except for the light provided by the upstairs hallway, the kitchen, and the small beam from the clicking projector. The living room lights used to be turned on... come to think of it, the front door had been open already. Taking hesitant steps, the four of them walked through the right half of the living room, Gordon sticking to Chad like glue. Now his pants would smell like wet dog too. If Chad didn’t know any better, he would’ve thought Gordon was smiling, his mouth stretched wide and tongue lolling.

They stopped at the basement stairs, Rob in the lead as he peered into the kitchen. All of the lights shut off suddenly, and the projector stopped clicking. He turned to Trish and whispered, “Me and Chad will check downstairs. You stay here with Gordon.” Before Chad could protest, Trish did it for him.

“No!” she whispered back.

“Stay right _here_ with Gordon,” Rob repeated.

He took a flashlight out of his pocket and beamed it down the stairs as he began to descend them, a reluctant Chad in tow. What was Rob’s fascination with making him tag along for everything? Was he going to try another cornering tactic down here? Chad turned his own flashlight on at his belt, glad that both of his hands were free.

Rob paused halfway, watching a fat rat scurry between two barrels. He continued his slow descent sideways, angling his body to the left side of the basement. His lips were parted and his face was covered in a sheen of sweat, despite the cool temperature. Nothing looked different at first glance. As he reached the bottom, he beamed the light at the doorway leading outside, revealing a pile of splintered wood. Paul had locked the door earlier.

“Looks like Jason was down here." Rob turned to Chad and frowned. “Listen, something doesn’t add up, and you’re going to tell—”

Multiple barks came from the main level, followed by the scrabbling of nails on the floor. Trish whispered Gordon’s name, her footsteps creaking overhead. Investigating the disturbance would be a perfect excuse to get out of this rat and asshole-infested basement.

“I’ll see what’s up.” Chad bounded up the stairs before Rob could complain. “Let us know if you find anything.”

He circled to the front of the house, discovering Trish staring up the stairs. She didn’t have the gun anymore, having placed it on a small table at the back of the living room. The front door was open, and he couldn’t remember if he’d closed it. Gordon was nowhere in sight. Jason had referenced petting Alice’s cat, and he’d likely done the same with Gordon at some point. A barking dog would nullify his stalk ability and announce his position, so he would’ve had to take Gordon somewhere else via morphing.

“I think Gordon went up there,” Trish whispered. “Let’s go check.”

After a brief pause, Trish started to creep up the dark staircase. Moonlight shone through the octagon-shaped window at the end of the hallway, providing better illumination. All of the doors were closed. They definitely hadn’t been this way during the upstairs investigation, and it sounded like the shower was running in the bathroom. Trish opened the door and entered, looking around warily, and Chad peeked around the doorframe.

It was too dim to see anything properly. He unclipped his flashlight and shined it to the right, revealing a corpse hanging from the hall adjacent to the bathtub. A spike was driven through the bloody throat, and the face was burnt beyond recognition, but he recognized Doug’s blue shirt and brown pants. Trish screamed at the sight and rushed past Chad, heading for the stairs.

“Rob! Rob! He’s here!”

Chad clipped the flashlight to his belt and turned it off, his stomach churning from the smell of seared flesh. Why had Jason put the body there? As a scare tactic? If so, it was clearly working to raise the fear level. Scared people would make mistakes, and mistakes would get people killed. The strange part was that Jason would’ve had an opportunity to quickly take out Rob and Trish during their separation. It was almost like he was trying to traumatize them. This was a game, and Chad was also playing it. The dark would help Jason ambush them at the right moment.

The screams finally stopped in the basement, becoming panicked babbles. “Rob! He’s here! He’s here! He killed them! All of them! I know it!”

Putting on his wide-eyed and open-mouthed terror face, Chad pressed his back and palms against the wall at the top of the basement stairs. With Rob in the lead, he and Trish rushed up the stairs, the shotgun gripped in her hands. Halfway up, the wood splintered and Rob’s foot got caught, making him stumble. Twisting around, he faced the bottom of the stairs and sat on a step. His lone hand grabbed his ankle, trying unsuccessfully to free it.

“Shit! Give me a hand!”

Chad’s mouth twitched, almost becoming a grin at the double meaning of the phrase. Trish put the shotgun onto the step below and helped pull Rob’s foot out of the hole, just as a massive shadow appeared at the bottom of the stairs. He snatched the gun and hurried down the rest of them to confront Jason. Terror gripped Chad’s heart as he pushed himself off the wall and bounded down multiple stairs at a time.

“Rob, no!”

His shout, echoed by Trish, was ignored. Rob aimed at Jason’s chest and fired, the recoil hitting his nose with a loud crunch. The shot was accompanied by a pained grunt, and the gun fell from his grasp. A hand grabbed him by the throat, and he was spun around and shoved against the wall beside the fuse box, his feet dangling. Now at the bottom of the stairs, Chad fumbled for his flashlight and turned it on.

Jason was uninjured, having shifted before the shotgun spray could strike him. The pig splitter severed Rob’s injured arm at the shoulder, and his right hand struck the hockey mask repeatedly as he screamed, joined by Trish’s shrieks. Not even a single grunt was drawn out of Jason. Another strike severed Rob’s left leg at the knee, and the screams grew in frequency and volume. Too weak to stand, Rob slid down the wall as Jason released his throat. The chops didn’t cease, becoming overhead blows that were just enough to bite into the skin, prolonging his suffering.

“Oh my god! Run, Trish, run! He’s got me! He’s killing me! Run!”

Trish grabbed Chad’s hand and pulled him up the stairs, screaming the whole way. She turned the corner into the kitchen, released him, and snatched a frying pan from the stove. Chad merely stood in front of the fridge, staring into space, remembering the shock he’d experienced. It was one of many possible reactions to someone getting murdered. Enough to fool her? She covered her mouth for a few seconds, breathing heavily, then strode past him and descended the stairs after Rob’s screams stopped.

Chad didn’t move, even as he heard the sound of splintering wood from the basement stairs. Trish screamed again, and there were several thumps of the frying pan striking something. His heartbeat was starting to return to a normal level. Everything would be fine. A blunt piece of metal wouldn’t hurt Jason beyond his body’s healing capabilities, and yet each thump made Chad wince.

Trish bounded up the stairs, no longer gripping the frying pan. She grabbed Chad’s hand again, pulling him through the kitchen doorway into the living room. He shook his rapidly, as if snapping himself out of the shock, and put more effort into following her to the front door. She opened it, revealing Tina’s corpse lying horizontally on the porch. The two halves were arranged in a V shape, still clad in half of a raincoat. A bloody wheelbarrow was at the base of the stairs, holding intestines and other organs that had spilled from the body.

To see the gore up close nearly caused Chad to vomit, and he yanked his hand out of Trish’s grasp, quickly turning away from the sight. Trish was already running to the kitchen, and he followed close behind. When she unlocked and opened the side door, Jimmy’s corpse greeted them, his hands and feet nailed on either side of the doorframe. Chad covered his mouth and turned around. This was too much. Trish didn’t deserve this for falling in love with an asshole. That’s why Jason was doing this, right? He’d witnessed every encounter with Rob, and according to his logic, a good person wouldn’t stay with a bad person.

Rapidly recovering after a few more screams, Trish grabbed a dining chair and looked at the shuttered window above the sink. She carried the chair to the window at the back of the living room and used the legs to shatter the glass, turning her head away from the shards. It wasn’t a clean break, so she threw the chair through the window to clear up some of the remaining pieces of glass. Wasting no time, she swung a leg over the ledge and then the other, dropping down. The gap was at least ten feet, but aside from a slight stumble and a few scratches, she didn’t appear to sustain any real injuries from the fall. She turned to the window and waved her arms.

“Come on! He could still be in there!”

Forcing a wary expression, Chad gripped the ledge and looked down. “I can’t. I’m heading for the front door.” The first part wasn’t really a lie, considering that he had enough cuts and bruises on his body.

“Okay! Meet me at our house!”

Trish disappeared around the corner, unknowingly leading Jason straight to Tommy. Jason should’ve killed her when the opportunity had first presented itself, but there was no time for regret. Chad ran to the front doorway and leapt over Tina’s corpse, his shoes planting firmly in the mud. He lifted them free and continued running to the Jarvis House. Trish was almost there, her renewed screams drawing Tommy to the door, and he opened it. With a last burst of stamina, Chad sprinted the rest of the way and made another leap over the porch stairs. He bolted inside and the door slammed shut behind him.

“Tommy, are all the doors locked?” Trish asked, frantically locking the door. She pulled on the knob and wiggled it.

“Yes,” Tommy said, nervously backing away towards the living room.

“Okay, get me a hammer and nails right now!”

Tommy’s round eyes darted between Trish and Chad. "Jason's here?”

“Yes!” Trish replied. She moved to the two windows on the left side of the door and locked them while Tommy followed her demand. “Chad, help me with the windows on the other side!”

Chad stepped to the window on the right and locked it, then the one near the fireplace. They were tall and connected to the porch, giving Jason more than enough room to burst through if he wanted to.

Trish returned to the front door and looked into the living room. “Tommy? Hurry!”

She held out her hands, accepting the hammer Tommy gave her, and grabbed a few nails from the box he was holding. Tommy watched her anxiously as she started hammering nails into the edge of the door. Without the use of wooden planks, how would this help even a tiny bit?

Jason appeared from around the left corner of the vacation house, carrying Rob’s corpse. Chad kept his face neutral and stepped in front of the lit fireplace, staying clear of the windows. His heartbeat was back up, nearly leaping into his throat, and his body continued to shiver as he rubbed his hands together. The footsteps of his lover were silent, approaching the porch.

Finished with the hammering, Trish double-checked the windows he’d locked, then moved to the lamp on the table between them. Tommy stood beside her, looking out of the left window. Before she could turn the light off, Rob’s corpse flew through the window to her right, landing on its side. It was full of gashes, and the face was so bloody that he would’ve been unrecognizable if not for his clothes. She covered her mouth and screamed, and Tommy shouted in alarm.

Maintaining a safe distance from the windows, Chad took a hesitant step towards the corpse, his shaky hand covering his mouth. Trish squatted beside Rob’s head, and in that moment, the left window shattered. Jason wrapped his arms around Tommy from behind and tried to pull him through, but something was wrong. If Jason truly wanted to hurt Tommy, he would’ve been dead already.

“Trish! Chad! Help!”

She immediately sprung into action, attacking the hockey mask with the hammer, each blow causing Jason to blink. Tommy continued to shout for help, his eyes squeezed shut. There was no choice but to keep up this facade. Chad ran to the table beside the couch, grabbed a small potted plant, and hurled it towards the window. His aim was off, and the pot missed Jason’s head by several inches. Finally gaining some sense, Trish turned the hammer around and embedded the claw into the junction of his shoulder and neck. He didn’t make a sound, but he gripped the handle and staggered backward.

While Trish and Tommy ran to the end table near the base of the stairs, Jason removed the hammer with a single tug, blood spurting from the wound. His eyes flicked to Chad’s panicked face in a silent look that said “I’m all right. Don’t worry.” A second later, he raged through the front door, providing an impressive display of strength to the Jarvis family. Their mouths opened, but Trish and Tommy didn’t have time to be stunned. The hammer was hurled into the wall beside her head, and she ushered Tommy upstairs, ignoring Chad in favor of saving her brother.

Jason didn’t follow. He strode towards Chad and scooped him into his arms, taking care to avoid slicing him with the pig splitter. Chad looked back at him with wide eyes. What was Jason doing? Was this hellish night going to be over without further bloodshed?

No. Silencing his footsteps, Jason carried him upstairs into the bedroom across from Tommy’s. He lowered him to the floor and Chad turned around, watching a soggy piece of paper get pulled from Jason’s pocket. It was handed to him, containing a pre-written message.

_You stepped in front of the machete._

“What?” Chad whispered, staring at the paper. He barely heard the thumping sounds coming from Tommy’s bedroom.

Fingers pressed under his chin, tilting it up, and a gentle kiss was placed on his forehead. A tear slid down his cheek and he opened his mouth, but the mask had already been lowered and Jason was jogging to the doorway. The door closed behind him and something was quickly pushed over the floor before Chad could get there. He pocketed the paper and grabbed the doorknob, wiggling it violently as he ignored the stings. His attempts to open the door were a failure, so he took a step back and tried to kick it down several times. It didn’t even budge an inch. He stopped trying and got closer to the door, listening carefully.

Across the hall, the bedroom door began to splinter. Tommy and Trish cried out in terror as wood went flying. A piece of furniture thumped to the floor, joined by the clattering of items. A few seconds later, glass shattered and something sizzled. The computer monitor? There was another heavy thump, closer this time, between the bedroom doors. Jason had fallen, renewing Chad’s attempts to escape the bedroom. He wiggled the knob and pounded on the door with his other hand.

“Open the door! Please!”

After more creaking and rummaging sounds, soft footsteps slowly approached the bedroom. They were followed by an “Oh my god!” from Trish, and something was embedded into the wall. She screamed and scrambled away.

“Trish!” Tommy shouted.

“Tommy, no! Stay away from him!”

Two sets of footsteps hurried down the stairs.

“Trish!”

Chad pounded on the door more forcefully, pain traveling up his arm. “Tommy, open the door!”

Soft grunting came from the other side, and the door finally opened. Whatever had been embedded in the wall was gone. Likely the pig splitter. A huge hole was inside Tommy’s door, and the broken computer monitor was inside the bedroom.

“I... I have an idea how we can trick Jason,” Tommy said, pointing at the bathroom.

Chad closed his eyes and swallowed, giving his heartbeat a moment to normalize again. He opened them and looked at Tommy’s determined face. “What idea?”

“You remember the newspaper articles Rob showed us? If I shave my head, I can provide a distraction while you or Trish attack him from behind.” Tommy’s hands balled into fists. “We can kill Jason!”

Chad’s heartbeat soared back to its previous state before the explanation was fully out. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. You should take Trish and run to Paul’s car. It’s parked on the main road near the northern intersection.”

Tommy shook his head. “I have to do this. I have to put a stop to him.” His words sounded far beyond his years, but Chad felt no admiration for his bravery. Tommy had to put a stop to _this_. It was insanity.

He turned to the bathroom and strode inside, slamming the door closed. Chad stared into Tommy’s bedroom. It would be an easy task to lock him in one of other bedrooms, but the kid was already traumatized. Plus if Tommy told the cops about a “betrayal”, they would be more inclined to believe him over the guy who’d supposedly survived three massacres.

Footsteps emerged from the ground floor, and Tommy announced his presence. “Trish!”

“Tommy...” she sobbed. “I told you to leave!”

If Jason’s safety depended on the death of Trish, then there was no other choice. She had to be the one who got distracted. Chad crept to the stairs and began to descend them slowly, flinching at the sound of a blade striking wood. Tommy had mentioned hiding a machete in his bedroom. Did Trish take it?

Chad cleared the last few stairs with a jump and peeked around the corner of the kitchen. Sure enough, Trish was battling Jason with a machete, every strike blocked by the pig splitter as he advanced on her. Scratches littered her skin, and her dress was torn in places. The machete started to bend from a particularly powerful clash of metal, driving Trish to put more distance between herself and Jason, and Chad bolted towards the back door to avoid getting hit. She ran into the hallway and screamed at the base of the stairs.

“Tommy! Get out of here!” Backing away towards the living room, Trish slashed at Jason. “No!” Her attack was dodged and she shook the machete. “I’m not going down without a fight, you son of a bitch!”

With a rapid strike, she slashed Jason on his left arm. In a fit of rage, he swung the pig splitter against the lamp to his right, knocking it off the table and shattering the bulb. His throat grab was too fast for Trish to dodge, and she was raised high into the air. Her eyes fluttered as he squeezed, and the machete was released from her grasp. A trickle of blood spilled out of her mouth and ran down her chin.

Tommy came screaming down the stairs and paused near the bottom. "Trish! Mom's dead in the bathtub!" Upon sighting Jason, Tommy's eyes narrowed. "Jason!"

Jason released his grip and Trish fell to the floor. He turned to Tommy and slowly approached him, staring at his bald head. A fresh wave of panic hit Chad, his mouth going dry. He tried to speak, but it came out as a croak. His legs shook as he stepped out of the shadowed corner.

_You stepped in front of the machete._

“Remember, Jason?” Tommy asked softly. “Jason, don’t you remember? Remember... remember, Jason...”

Jason tilted his head to the side. He reached out to Tommy. Was this a ghost from the past?

Trish picked up the machete. Her loud breathing alerted Jason to her presence, and he turned around just as Chad was about to warn him. The mask flew off, landing face up on the rug, and Jason instinctively jerked his head away. She dropped the machete and screamed, hands covering her mouth as he slowly turned his head back to her. Gripping the pig splitter tightly, he began to approach her, and she retreated alongside the couch. Her screams overpowered every other noise.

Tommy jumped off the side of the staircase and snatched the machete before Chad could. He brandished the weapon, eyes shining with such intensity that he didn’t seem like the same little boy. Chad raised his hands in front of his chest, cautiously circling around Tommy, who watched him closely. What kind of person would let his lover get killed?

The machete swung in a wide arc, and Chad stepped in front of it. At the last second, a thick arm swatted him away, and there was a sick sound of metal striking flesh. He landed sideways on the couch, his head striking the wall, and he cried out as his vision blurred. The sound was nothing compared to Trish’s horrified scream and Jason’s pained groan.

Jason dropped to his knees and Chad extended his arm weakly, too far away to reach him. The machete had impaled him through his left eye, and his head slid down the bloody blade until it reached the bottom. It clattered to the wood, dislodged from the torn flesh, and Tommy picked it up.

“He’s dead, Tommy,” Chad whispered, laying the side of his head on the couch cushion. Hope lit inside him. Jason’s flesh was starting to mend, but Tommy and Trish couldn’t see it from their angles.

Trish walked between Jason and the couch and then wrapped Tommy in a tight hug. He smiled and hugged her back. After a few seconds, his gaze drifted down and he pushed her away. The machete rose and fell as he started hacking the back of Jason’s head, yelling "Die!" repeatedly.

“Tommy!” she pleaded, making no move to take the machete from his grasp.

Dizziness crashed over Chad as he pushed himself off the couch. He staggered to Tommy and gripped his wrist with both hands, preventing another downward strike. The machete trembled as Tommy fought for control of it, gritting his teeth. He was strong, but he was still only a little boy. He let go of the machete and some of the madness left his eyes. His shoulders sagged.

Chad planted his foot firmly on the machete. “Trish, get him out of here. Paul’s car is near the northern intersection, just before the bridge. You can’t miss it.”

“What about you?” she asked, her voice shaking. She’d been crying for the past few minutes, eyes glossy with more unshed tears.

“I'll try to get my car started. Just go. Don’t worry about me.”

Trish nodded and took Tommy’s hand, leading him to the front doorway. Two sets of bloody footprints were left behind. They stepped onto the porch, and Chad walked to a shattered window to ensure that they wouldn’t return. As they continued heading north, their figures eventually disappeared in the darkness. Gordon would find them.

Chad returned to Jason and knelt beside him. He slid a hand under Jason’s thigh and used the other to grip his upper arm, carefully rolling him over and grunting from the exertion. The blue eye was closed. Some of the flesh had healed, but there were too many cuts. Too much blood. Using his damp sleeve, he dabbed the right side of his lover’s face, revealing the ashen skin.

“Are you still here, Jason?”

He grunted softly and his eye fluttered open. He took a raspy breath, his mouth covered in red. Chad used his other sleeve to wipe it away, tears falling into the pool of blood that his knees were resting in. He couldn’t carry Jason to the car, but he couldn’t leave him here.

Jason lifted a shaky hand a few inches off the floor, his finger unfurling at an agonizingly slow speed as he pointed at the front doorway. He wanted to go home.

"Shhh... I know, Jason. I know." Chad stroked the top of Jason's head, forcing a weak smile. "Look at my face and forget about everything else. We're the only ones here. Just you and me, together."

The wheezing breaths became slower as the remaining blue eye drifted over the tracks of his tears, and a large hand mustered the strength to cover the trembling one on his thigh. Lowering his head, he pressed a soft kiss on Jason’s lips, and his smile was gently answered.

"Everything will be fine. Think of the fun we had together, and the... the fun we'll..."

After a final labored breath, Jason's head fell to the side, eye staring straight ahead.


	13. Savior

Despite his best attempts, Chad wasn’t able to move Jason. With a heavy heart, he left the Jarvis House and walked to his convertible. A black speedo, a granola bar wrapper, and the other house key were inside his pocket. The pig splitter was in hand, but the mask was back on Jason’s face, protecting his dignity from those who would find him.

Chad couldn’t recall much of the drive back home. He remembered crying and thinking of the man he'd left behind, of the things he could’ve done differently. When the derelict Voorhees House came into sight, a fresh wave of tears fell. The love of his life was dead and so were the possibilities. He exited the car, unlocked the front door, and stepped inside the dark hallway, nudging it shut behind him.

Turning down the right hallway, he walked into the living room. The unopened VCR and Atari were still on the floor in front of the television. Ghostbusters and Frogger were on the coffee table. He would never be able to watch a movie, play a video game, read a book, or warm up by the fire with Jason. The beautiful portrait hung over the fireplace, a far cry from what Chad looked like now, and yet Jason had never judged him during the times when he hadn’t been looking his best. How often did such a person come along? Someone who could see below the surface and find beauty beneath.

He returned to the hallway and walked to the other end. The polished chandelier hung above the table from Packanack. Jason had been adorably dense at times, but he’d also been intelligent, wanting to eliminate any possible reminders about the barn incident. Always trying to please and make up for his perceived failures. Further answers about his past would never be discovered, and the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis would collect dust until it was stumbled upon by curious trespassers.

Chad entered the kitchen. An empty vase stood on the center of the table, having once held a fragrant bouquet of pink roses. The clutter had been cleared off except for the recipe book, and the open pages depicted a plate of chocolate chip cookies and instructions for making them. Jason hadn’t been a world-class chef, but he’d tried so hard. Watching him get excited over new groceries, seeing the smile on his face as he ate a delicious meal, and enjoying the food he made would never happen again.

He left the kitchen, unlocked the back door, and stepped outside, closing it softly behind him. It was still raining, but more stars were beginning to show themselves. The yard was a lake of mud, and he trudged through it to the chicken coop. He laid the pig splitter on the ground and unhooked the latch to their little house. The two chickens were sleeping soundly, nestled in their individual compartments. He carefully removed the food and water dishes, brought them to the faucet, and rinsed the feathers and other debris out of them.

Leaving the full water dish at the faucet, he moved to the shed and opened the door. New bugs had taken up residence, but he paid them no attention as he lowered the food dish to the floor. The bag was too heavy for him to lift, so he scooped handfuls of grains into the dish until it was also full. The shed door was left open as he carried the dish to the faucet. He picked up the other and brought them back to the chicken coop, slowly placing them inside to avoid spillage. The chickens opened their eyes and clucked a greeting.

“You’re free to go, girls. Then you won’t starve or dehydrate.”

They merely ruffled their feathers and went back to sleep. The height of the coop would keep them safe from predators until they decided to leave. 

He grabbed the pig splitter and walked to the vegetable garden. The seeds hadn’t begun to sprout. In another five to twelve days, the first signs of growth might appear. It would’ve been nice to enjoy fresh vegetables and rejuvenate the backyard with Jason. The front too. Fill them with lush grass and beautiful flowers, have picnics, watch the birds...

Trudging to the house, he passed the clothesline that Jason had put so much effort into making, and he went back inside. He locked the door out of habit. His muddy shoes were left on the mat, and his bare feet padded up the stairs as he carefully navigated through the dark. He opened the door to Pamela’s bedroom. The feeling of being watched wasn’t present this time as he approached the bed.

He knelt at the end of the bed and rested a forearm on the floral blanket. It was clean with not a speck of dust. Pamela's head lay on the middle, still propped up by a miniature lace pillow, but something was different. The pink sweater was covering the tattered grey one. A favorite sweater from Jason's favorite boy.

"Pamela... help me. Please. What do I do now?"

There was no answer, though a prickly sensation crawled over his skin. It was only the imagination of someone who was clinging to his last bit of hope that he wasn't alone here. What was he thinking? Talking to a decapitated head... he'd truly gone insane.

"Of course you're not here. You were never here, and you weren't in the shack either."

He stood up and wiped his eyes with the back of a hand. Outside, the storm had calmed, leaving only the gentle patter of rain against the two windows. He circled around the bed to the larger one and looked down. The window didn’t have a screen. He just had to open it and try, but he couldn’t bring himself to even touch the lever. Perhaps his aching heart could still find peace somehow.

As he watched the rain fall, the prickly feeling grew in intensity. He shivered, each breath fogging the air. A glance over his shoulder revealed nothing in the doorway. He’d had enough of this creepy bedroom.

He strode into the hallway and opened Jason’s bedroom door. The moldy teddy bear was gone, and so were the toys that had been on the dresser. The birthday card was still on the desk. Jason would never get the rest of his present. Technically he’d only lived for sixteen years. If he hadn’t drowned, he would’ve been thirty-eight years old by now, and celebrated more than a mere eleven birthdays.

The surface of the desk was otherwise empty except for a few crayons and a drawing. Two boys were standing side by side, holding hands in front of a colorful sunset over the lake. One had blond hair and the other didn’t have any. Another wave of tears fell as he left the bedroom.

He walked to the end of the hall and entered the bathroom, flicking the light switch. The toys were on the counter, their washing interrupted by the phone call. He put the pig splitter onto the counter, its blade clean from the rain. After waiting for the water to turn clear, he washed the sheath, plug, dildo, and prostate massager, smiling slightly at the memory of Jason flinging it into the hallway. The smile disappeared as quickly as it came. Jason had touched him for the last time tonight. Each toy was laid on the towel beside the sink, the water was turned off, the pig splitter was grabbed, and the light switch was flicked.

One last place to go. He entered the bedroom he’d once shared with his love, turned the light on, and brought the pig splitter to the weapon rack. It was hung horizontally below the axe. Jason had been so strong, right to the end, but Chad couldn’t say the same about himself.

He circled to the other side of the bed and opened the top drawer of the nightstand. The blue speedo was inside. Jason Voorhees, the legend of Crystal Lake, wearing a speedo. That sounded ridiculous, but it had happened. Jason would’ve done anything to bring happiness, and now he was gone, taking the bright future with him. Life would be nothing but regret and despair... thoughts of what could have been and what could never be. Chad removed the black speedo from his pocket and slid it under the other, then closed the drawer and turned to the bed.

The green blanket rested on top of the floral blanket with pickaxe holes. It was covered in dried patches of white, remnants of the fun and tender moment from just a few hours ago. At his feet lay a pile of fur, vinyl, silk, and tattered lace. He’d never imagined himself to be the type to delve into the less conventional aspects of sex, but there was a first for everything. His first love would also be his last.

He walked to the dresser and grabbed the photo and teddy bear, clutching it to his chest. Two presents from Jason. How could two people who were so different fall in love? Chad had lived a luxurious life, always taking everything for granted. Jason had lived a meager life, always appreciative of the smaller things. Yet they’d been so similar too. Young men who’d been trying to find their place in the world. A better purpose, and that purpose had been loving each other. This had been a love that came once in a lifetime. He put the bear against the wall and propped the photo in front of it.

The larger of the two windows beckoned to him. He parted the curtain, gazing at the sky above the forest trail. The rain had finally stopped, and the sky was becoming more beautiful by the minute. It was here that he’d made a declaration to Jason while being held in his arms, but how could a coward honor that declaration?

His heart raced as he looked at the window lever. With a few cranks, it was open. Using the undamaged house key, he ripped a hole into the screen, large enough for him to climb through. The balcony was rickety, and everything seemed to sway around him as he staggered to the railing. The drop was only about fourteen feet. If he was going to do this, he had to make it count by landing the right way.

He looked up at the beautiful night sky and breathed deeply. “I don’t believe in heaven or hell, Jason. I think they’re places that people conjure to comfort or scare themselves. But now I want to believe that wherever you are, we can find each other again, maybe in another life.”

Gripping the railing, he closed his eyes and listened to the distant sound of the crickets, the gentle wind moving through the trees, and his rapid heartbeat. An additional noise joined the rest... rustling from the hallway. He glanced over his shoulder, eyes widening at the sight of a folded piece of paper floating towards him, yellowed from age. It hovered beside him. He grabbed it carefully and unfolded the letter.

_For my Chad,_

_I love you. There is nothing I wouldn't do to make you happy. I would cook tasty food, shower you with pretty things, jog to the end of the world and back, kill and die for you. Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me. Before I met you, I was a boy with no purpose beyond killing. Our meeting could have been nicer, but we worked through it. Right? We're best friends now. I'm a boy who learns from his mistakes and I promise to never hurt you again._

_I want to stay with you forever and have fun every day for the rest of my life. Just you and me, together until the moment when we take our last breaths. Your beauty will never disappear, even years into the future. When it's finally time for us to go to heaven, we'll go together, holding hands as we walk into the light. Our fun will continue as we put the pain and dark world behind us. That's where good boys belong, and I couldn't ask for a better boy in my life._

_Mother told me I can't die, but she was lying. I died in the lake on that day, crying and reaching for help that didn’t come. Water filled my mouth and my lungs, pulling me under the surface, and everything got dark until there was nothing. Why did I fight to live? I was an ugly boy with no friends, but I had Mother. She treated me with kindness and love when no one else would, and she encouraged me to see light in dark places. Now this ugly boy has you, and you’re worth fighting for. My little Chad is my favorite person in the whole world._

_If I ever take my last breath, please wait for me. I'll always come back for you. I don't want you to be lonely or sad. I want to hear you laugh and see you smile. You're so pretty when you're smiling. Did you know that? It makes your blue eyes sparkle, and my heart flutters from what a lucky boy I am._

_I hope your pretty face is the first thing I see when I return. You look like an angel and you have a kind heart too. You're always so nice to me. And you think I'm cute! To have someone who loves and accepts me, despite my faults... what more could a boy ask for? You're the reason why I can smile, even when my heart is hurting. I only have to look at you and see the bright future we can have together. If a boy tries hard enough, he can get through anything._

_No matter what happens, don't give up. The sun rises and sets every day. Watch the beauty and pretend I'm standing beside you with your small hand in mine. Feel my arms around you as we embrace under the stars, even if I'm not there. Remember the first night we shared and how it changed our lives. Think of the fun we had together and the fun we will have. Make sure you eat lots of food so you don't shrink, and try not to get scared if you see a rat or spider in the house. You're such a tiny boy, but you're strong of body and mind._

_Above all else, remember that I love you. I'll always love you._

_Forever, and even after that._

_-Jason_


End file.
